Fire in the Void
by Arian Eripmav
Summary: She was the Goddess of the Sacred fire, a flame of warmth and light, who rose to be Queen of the Heavens when the Creator and Devastator of the Universe wages war against them and all that she stood and cared for. A new legion of demigods is prepared for battle under the leadership of the Veterans of the second Titanomachy and Gigantomachy.Please Review.
1. Prologue

**Void and Empty**

No one can define life better than me. Why you may ask?

Well for the sole indubitable reason that I created it myself. I was nothing but raw energy and matter, dust as you may call it, a billowing cloud of blazing dust surrounded by nothingness. I believe it was this void that surrounded me, that brought me to senses and invoked within me a conscience.

A conscience, that had been alone in a never ending void for far too long and didn't want to be solitary any more. I brought forth from my core, Gaea, the foundation of the gods, titans and the first mortal beings; all representing me in more than one way.

I created Nyx out of my shroud of shadows, she was meant to be the harbinger of timely darkness over the lights that I created. Tartarus was a representation of my wrath and pain, a timeless being forever in unrest.

First of my progeny but not the last, I left them to their own devices to create a universe I saw fit. To billions of lights I gave life and forgot about several of them or at least about most that I had created. It seemed for a while that this was the sole reason for my existence, the creation of new life from empty chaos.

Ironic isn't it? From Empty Chaos arose the lights of life, a conscience in each from emptiness that no mortal-immortal dare breach.

And as I sat here, billions of lights away from the first of my children, I could already sense the growing unrest. I could feel her anger, her suffering; something wasn't right. Her sheer power astounded me. Even though I had created her in the image of what I knew life to be, I had never realised the power that I had imparted to her on her creation and that was only one of the reasons I didn't know the extent of her powers. For long I had speculated that she could hide her powers from me, but I didn't know it for fact.

That was one reason that I had created Nyx with a calm mind, ever since Gaea's I have been for the lack of a better term at Peace. Nyx and Hemaera, Night and Day were my interpretations of time and division; however creating Chronos was equally essential, there was someone needed to control time as well after all.

After their creation I felt content with my being, but not so much so that I gave up creation. I continued on with it and the more I created the more content I felt.

But now, at this very moment, the wave of unrest across the 'verse unsettles me. The pulse of power at the centre of my domain makes me uneasy. However my anxiety is not enough to overpower my curiosity, No, it surely isn't.

I believe it's time to visit my eldest child or should I say children, which hardly sound appropriate. No matter, I shall see, if what I have come to believe is true or am I just making a mountain of a mole hill. "We shall see", I say in a whisper, I spread my hands or are they wings?

Yes, wings, dark shadows surround my pristine white marble body covering it in shades of night and darkness emitting rays of light, twinkling is what I believe the mortals refer to it as. As darkness looms itself around me, I call upon the light of the nearest stars, their strength should be enough to propel me from this system and across the universe to Gaea.

I smile to myself; it has been a long time in coming, our reunion. If Gaea turns out to be a threat, I will destroy her along with everything else that may prove to be a threat. She might even prove to be a challenge, something to look forward to I believe, and with that last thought I can barely control my laugh anymore...

..._A dark laughter echoes across the now silent system. With a last pull on the might of the energy of the shining stars, A goliath figure of all darkness emblazoned with twinkling rays of light spreads its angelic wings and in a blinding flash of light and energy disappears into the ever expanding oblivion leaving behind nothing but a swirling, shimmering cloud of dust and colossal destruction._


	2. Torch Bearer

**Torch Bearer of the Sacred Fire**

The night sky hadn't changed in millennia, but then who am I kidding? Nothing ever remains the same and everything is bound to change even the night sky. Humans live very short lives and are oblivious to the changes that occur over millennia, true they are not visible to the naked eye but then again they aren't immortal as well.

Sitting under the night sky in the middle of a forest, gazing at the stars and the constellations of the old; they somehow had a therapeutic effect on me. For centuries now it had been my personal retreat, a place where I could escape to, while tension on Olympus was paramount, especially between my siblings.

My siblings, how different I was from all of them. I didn't thirst for power, position and dominion. I condemned their philandering ways. Well Zeus' in the very least. The others had started to behave themselves over the years.

Zeus, my dear young brother, King of Olympus, Lord of the Skies and the Heavens, God of Kings, Law, Justice and Order. Sometimes I wondered how it would have been had I... No what's the point of thinking about it when it can't be achieved?

I had sacrificed much for Zeus and Olympus; it was due to my efforts, that civilization as we see it is still intact. Had I not maintained peace among my brothers, the world and all that is a part of it would have ended in a catastrophic war. Zeus, strong he might be, but insecurity was; and till this date remains his fatal flaw. The constant struggle for power between him, Poseidon and Hades had led to several instances that had tipped the balance of power, one too many times.

Much had I sacrificed for him, Poseidon had courted me with passion but Zeus due to his insecurity that my child with Poseidon might be strong enough to overthrow him and remove him from his throne made me swear the oath of eternal virginity. Till this date I regret the fact of not having children of my own but I got over that by looking over the numerous demigods and protecting them from the nefarious ways of the other gods especially my sister, Hera.

Hera, where do I even begin? She had always lusted for power and she wouldn't have accepted to be anything less that the Queen of the Heavens. So much so that she married Zeus and became his second wife, it didn't take her a day to replace Metis and take her place in Zeus' bed. I blame Zeus equally for that but then as they say retribution finds it ways, Zeus was never faithful to her. I can't even begin to imagine nor count the number of women Zeus had an affair with. The result of one such affair was a demigod by the name of Dionysus, yes demigod. Well until he was offered godhood, Dionysus, God of Wine, Ritual Madness and Ecstasy.

The sole reason that I was removed from my throne on the council of gods to be replaced by one of Zeus' children but then he wouldn't have it any other way; He couldn't ask any of his other children to step down from the council, they were all much to precious too him especially Athena and Hermes, his favourite children.

Apollo and Artemis; well let us say he owed it to them, after all their mother sacrificed too much to bring them into the world and honestly, the brother-sister duo were much too powerful to be dethroned. Ares, now I wonder why he didn't think about removing him from the council, I assume having the god of War and Bloodlust was important somehow, even though the only thing he was responsible for was killing innocents and disrupting peace, now how is that a good thing.

Poseidon, no he would never have asked Poseidon to step down from his throne. Why you may ask? Well, for the sole reason that he was too insecure to have Poseidon form an alliance with Hades out of spite to topple him from his throne, no he'd never take that risk. Asking Demeter too was out of question; she was temperamental and would have taken out her anger on the innocent mortals either by causing a famine or by altering the seasons. No he wouldn't have anyone harm his worshippers.

Hera too was out of question she'd have thrown a fit and killed all the demigods and honestly, we needed them to run are errands so the only logical choice approached in a very calculative manner was I, Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth, Sacred Fire and Families.

Yes, I gave up my Throne to facilitate Zeus' desire to enthrone one of his weakest and most unexceptional children. Never would I forgive Zeus for this, I took my place besides the Hearth but I then realised how Hades felt when he was ousted from Olympus, to rule the underworld.

There were times when I have felt that I should have claimed my birth right but then again I have felt if I was up to the task. However in recent times I have come to the conclusion that I would have made a better queen... Queen of Olympus, Torch bearer of the western civilization, Queen of the gods... was this, my destiny? Did the fates intend for me to become the Queen of Olympus. Was I destined to rule the Heavens?

Questions-questions all left unanswered. I wonder if the fates were tempting me by putting such thoughts in my mind... I smiled to myself. They should know better than that, I might not look it but my restraint is greater than any being, mortal or immortal. Even Artemis fell for Orion, had it not been for Apollo she'd only be the Goddess of the Hunt, minus the Virgin title.

Sometimes I wonder if life as a mortal was really what I wanted, but then again being an immortal had its perks. Immortality wasn't devoid of pain, true but then it was pain for eternity. Lost in my thoughts reminiscing about my past and delving into the mysteries of the future, I was completely taken aback before I felt a presence close to me.

Had I been so lost and preoccupied that I was at complete loss of that which was going around me, I silently cursed myself. The intruder hadn't realised that I had picked up on him or yet, somewhere in the woods I felt an immortal presence weaker than any of the twelve Olympians but stronger than that of a demigod or any off the road monster...I concentrated on the life force... strangely familiar it was.

Not wanting to be taken completely by surprise I thought of making the intruder aware of the fact that I was aware of their presence. In the fraction of a second the trees around me were lit with a golden yellow fire, blazing like an inferno with an eerie golden luminescence.

Most people on such occasions would be reminded of my father. Who am I to say anything? After all I'm his daughter. However the intruder had still not revealed himself, maybe he was shocked by the turn of events or didn't expect me to take such a step. With a flick of my wrist the flames died down and formed a ring around a clearing in the forest, I flashed there only to be greeted by, "Iris" I said with a smile on my face, my voice affectionate.

Immediately the fire died down, the sacred fire was conducive to my feelings. When enraged and perturbed it burned with a ferocity however when I was calm it gave nothing but warmth and light.

Iris still looked shocked however she tried her best to hide it, she was after all a goddess. Iris, the Goddess of Messages and communication and the divine personification of a rainbow itself, if I were to say in beauty she was only second to Aphrodite. With long flowing golden hair that fell in waves about her heart shaped face gathering on her shoulders and her mesmerizing eyes changing colours with every fleeting moments, she truly was a beauty to behold.

She wore a silvery chiton, loosely wrapped around her willowy body that shimmered in the faint light of the moon, like the crest of waves on a moon lit night.

She bowed before me and rose, "Lady Hestia, I was sent here to inform you that Lord Zeus has summoned the Council to meet at the Olympic Coliseum on the day of the Autumn Equinox at Sunset. Your presence is indispensable." She said respectfully her eyes not making direct contact with me, instead looking at the ground.

Iris had always been faithful to the Olympians. Even during the war against Kronos and the Battle of Olympus she had stood by us doing what little she could do. "Tell my brother I'll be there Iris. I hope to see you there as well?" I asked her.

"Yes my lady. Most gods and immortal personifications have already consented to attend the Grand Council at the Autumn Equinox. If I'm not mistaken there will also be representation from several other realms under Olympus' dominion." She said her gaze averted her tone respectful and soft. Iris was intelligent. She had given me enough to ponder upon before the Council meets.

"Thank you Iris."I said and with another quick bow the goddess disappeared leaving behind the fragrance of rain and the gust of west wind.

A Grand Council, normally it is held on the winter solstice so why now? Ever since the defeat of the giants at the hands of the seven heroes our world had gone under some serious changes. The first and foremost being the recognition of existence of other primitive civilizations like the Amazons, Centaurs and the Heliopaths.

The Council ever since the war had been making efforts to achieve a democracy, most gods wanted to bring everyone and everything hidden by the mist together but there were those as well among both gods and Imperial cultures who stood for autonomy.

In the end, a bold attempt was made for Peace not by any of the gods but their mortal children, the demigods. The Roman and Greek factions unanimously decided to join forces permanently and in order to give a strong foundation to their efforts; a new Camp was created to replace Camp Half blood and was rechristened as Fort Olympus, signifying the strategic role that the demigods played in the hidden world.

Fort Olympus was more than a camp for demigods where they learnt to spar, ride pegasi and canoe in the lake. No, Fort Olympus was nothing short of a military camp exclusively constructed for Demigods both Roman and Greek, it also doubled up as a city for them and their semi-divine families and was on its way to establish a culture for itself.

Unlike New Rome, Fort Olympus was exclusive to demigods only, legacies were permitted but they were rare occasions. New Rome for that matter became the sanctuary of not only legacies but mortal human families of the demigods as well, along with demigods who had chosen to remain behind and keep the spirit of Camp Jupiter alive and the prestigious legion that it garrisoned.

It was a time for unity, the harbingers of which were the demigods themselves. Fort Olympus was a grand representation of it. The ways at the camp changed with the inflow of the Romans, the demigods were no longer divided on the basis of their parents instead they were made to live in Barrack houses, a concept adopted from Camp Jupiter. However, each god had his own cabin as well in the fort where the demigod siblings could spend time and interact with each other, for the sole purpose of bonding as family.

The demigods were randomly placed in trainee cohorts when they were brought to the Fort, after three months of basic survival and combat training, depending on their abilities, strengths and skills a cohort was assigned to each Initiate, a rank achieved at the end of the Three month training, from here on the cohort would become a family to the demigod along with is other demigod siblings.

Each cohort had its specialisation, if an Initiate didn't want to join a cohort there were other interests for the Individual at camp as well both Military and Economical.

The demigods truly did play an important role in our lives, without them I daresay we wouldn't have survived this long. It truly was due to their efforts that we had been able to defeat our enemies. Other Gods wouldn't agree with me, but I have always known that they have more power and strength than us; it's their courage that fuels their strength and power, nothing else. They need to be acknowledged maybe that's the reason that many of them had been asked to join the Grand council upon its creation; it was a way of acknowledging their efforts.

Yes, things had changed at a very fast pace in the last few years but anyone could have seen this coming as for centuries we had been a part of the same rut, change was inevitable but what surprised me was the convening of this emergency council.

Convening an Olympian council was one thing, a Grand council another.

As I walked through the forest, under a canopy of emerald green and violet skies, I wondered what it could be about. A cool breeze caressed my face gently, taking all my qualms with it and breathing into me its freshness.

I sat there under the canopy of a Great Pine, looking at the constellations in the distant sky. Beautiful they were, some created by Chaos and others by us, I wondered how many other celestial beings like us existed and if they did were they as powerful than us or greater.

Author's Note: I know this is a long time in coming, but the idea that I mentioned during the SYOD didn't lead to anywhere. It was like a dead end, but now I have picked up on a new plotline which suits all the submitted characters even more and I mean all of them even those that didn't make it to the selected list, so I guess everyone will be able to see their submitted characters here and there throughout the story.

The major characters will all have the lead role one being the centre of every chapter alone with one or two minors, the others will be fillers and some might even play an important role in the middle of a story or a chapter.


	3. Along the River Styx

**Along the River Styx**

I have never seen dawn break over the horizon, but then again I have an entire life ahead to see something so trivial. Dawn; break of a new day, end of another night. I have never understood the concept of light's victory over dark although it's true that Light had the power to illuminate shadows, I repeat, shadows.

Darkness and Shadows are two completely different things. Shadows are created by the absence of light; darkness however is eternal and is as old as the eternal source of light. Then how is Light superior over darkness, when both are equally important and it is the balance between them that not only ensures the continuity of time but life as well.

I'm not against illumination nor Light, but being a child of darkness I have learnt to live in the shadows and the darkness of the Underworld. I have not only embraced the darkness, but death itself. Death, end of life or is it? The way I have come to see it, I think of it as a new beginning, one without any fear, anger, pain and suffering.

It's a chance to live life afresh and try for Elysium and Isles of the Blessed.

As I walked along the banks of the Styx, I took in the dank air, breathing deeply, I sighed. I stopped at the edge of the river, careful not to touch it unless I wished to be burned to death. No, I didn't have a death wish; no one does except for those few depressed souls who feel they have nothing to look forward to in life, pathetic.

And there I go, rambling again, carried away by my thoughts. Who would know more about Death than the son of Death himself? Let me introduce myself, my name is Alec Blackwood, Eldest Mortal son of Thanatos, God of Death.

Lost in thought as well, don't be, the story has just begun. Where to begin? Maybe from the beginning I guess.

Mine isn't a long story, but I'd like to refer to it as one full of action and complete mayhem. Trust me, when I say that the Olympians least expected a demigod son of Thanatos to turn up, I'm not exaggerating. Some of them even had the audacity to get rid of me, as in permanently.

Had it not been for the Prince and the Lord of the Underworld, my dad would have been washing my memories with the water's of Lethe personally. But then again maybe the fates had something else planned for me.

The fates, interesting beings they are, where one spun the thread of life, another measured its length and the third cut the thread of life itself. Unfortunately, the fates had a mind of their own and their decision was indubitable but I guess that was important in its own right, had someone been able to influence their decisions, we and all that we knew would have ended in catastrophe.

Lost in thought again, I have ended up doing that way too often lately so much so that I can't even keep my guard up and being sneaked up on was something that I absolutely hated and the person behind me knew it.

"You are obviously distracted aren't you? What's been on your mind lately?" I heard a grave voice devoid of all emotion from behind me. It had not been always like that, I slowly turned around, on my guard my senses heightened but it was already too late he had his sword on my neck and one mistake on my behalf would have resulted in my death.

"My apologies Prince "I said my eyes averted and with a curt nod, my gaze not meeting the eyes of the Prince of the Underworld and the Son of Hades, Nico DiAngelo.

"Keep your guard up Alec. There might not be a next time for you" He said with a rare wry smile and with that last comment he sheathed his three feet long, menacing, double edged Stygian sword and gestured me to follow him.

"Trouble is brewing at Olympus and Zeus in his fit has called for an assembly of the Grand Council" he said in a dry voice lacking any emotion. I wasn't surprised, the Gods, most of them were insecure, and especially when someone threatened their seat of power but it was also true that it took something on a scale of humongous to gigantic to make them quiver.

"I have sensed Gaea's unrest over a period of time." I said but before I could say anything else he cut in, "No it's not Gaea this time Alec. She might be in a state of unrest but she knows all too well to make a move against the Olympians not after being defeated by them recently." And then a moment later as an afterthought he said, "Besides she wouldn't risk it, she not strong enough, yet to take us on again." With a smirk etched across his face.

I didn't understand him and I don't think I would ever be able to. Nico had a highly indifferent attitude but deep down he cared. His occasional wry smile, sinister smirk and sarcasm all complemented his personality as the Prince of the Underworld but what was Nico beneath those layers was something only his closest friends knew about, and I knew he didn't count me in on them, maybe someday but then why had he come to meet me. H couldn't just be taking a walk along the Styx like me, must be more to it.

"You are probably wondering why I'm bothering you with my presence." He said turning around facing me, his crimson eyes bore into mine sending a shiver down my spine, "Don't worry. I have come here to make a request of you." He said his eyebrow arched, I simply nodded there was nothing else I could do and then with the hint of a smile he continued, "I want you to go back to Fort Olympus and take charge of your cohort."

It was my chance to laugh now and I did, a snicker escaped passed my lips, "What's so funny?" He asked me in a serious tone. I flashed a knowing smile at him, "You know I can't go back there. I was banished from the Fort for..." "Wrong again" he cut it rolling his eyes, "You weren't banished. You chose to leave the Fort before the Council passed judgement, which as I recall was in your favour." He said jabbing a finger towards me.

"But then again, I abandoned them. They'd never take me back." I said my voice serious and indifferent. I couldn't care less, it was my decision. If I didn't want to go back there no one could make me. "Well then that's your decision" He said turning his back towards me and then in a deep undertone that would scare the hell out of anyone "But I want to see you there tomorrow at sunset, in the chambers of the Demigod Council. We'll discuss your punishment for abandoning your cohort and responsibilities then and there." And like the west wind, strong and wild, he disappeared in the shadows leaving me behind to dwell on my thoughts and the last few hours of complete freedom from the disciplined military life of a demigod that I had chosen to follow a few years back.

True it was my decision to abandon the colony rather than be banished. At least I didn't dishonour the legacy of my cohort and the honour of my father. It would have been embarrassing to be banished from the colony for a decision that led to... No, I must not blame myself.

It was a mistake never to be repeated and the only way I could do that was by not going back to the Garrison at Fort Olympus. I had vowed to myself that I'd never let anyone else suffer because of mistakes that I made in the past, Never but then destiny can't be changed or helped and history did repeat itself.

I sighed, but I had no choice but to go back. He had requested my presence and later ordered me to come. He knew I would have honoured his request but I wasn't too sure why he had ordered me to attend the Council meet as well.

Nico would never have requested me to come back and lead the cohort had it not been a grave issue. My Cohort, Dealers of Death, it was truly a morose name but then again it was mostly made up of demigod children whose parent's abode was in the underworld. It mainly consisted of children of Thanatos, Melinoe and rarely of Macaria, The Goddess of Blessed Death, Morpheus and Hypnos my father's brothers. It was also not uncommon to see children of Ares and Enyo in our ranks for their bloodlust never seemed to satiate. I remember training the younger members to shadow travel and taking lessons of sparring.

I miss leading them into the weekly capture the flag and the fortnightly war games. That was one part that I missed but then ever since I had left them I had learnt to live lie alone as well and honestly I quite enjoyed it. A life lacking of discipline, the independence and the freedom, it all soon became a part of me. Thinking about going back to that disciplined life even though I missed it at times just didn't seem right to me but then it wasn't a permanent affair.

After the 'crisis' or whatever it was that had shaken the foundation of Olympus had been dealt with I could choose to live life as I wanted and on my own terms and with that last thought I let the cool wind take over me.

As the shadows engulfed me into the nothingness of their void I could feel the cold shivers running down my spine with the sensation of my life force being drained drop by drop from my body and as I whirled on the spot in a storm of shadows, I could sense a dull presence, something strange and out worldly.

The presence was dull but the power of the being in the realm of the shadows was nothing short of radiant and it was a sensation that I had never experienced but then in a fraction of second it disappeared but it had left a permanent imprint on my mind, something to tell Nico about, something to tell the council about.

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><p><strong>AN: R & R  
><strong>


	4. Howling of the Hounds

**Howling of the Hounds**

I woke up to the sound of howling and not just any howling, to the howling of hell hounds. What was strange you may ask? Well the fact that hell hounds didn't howl, not under normal circumstances in the least. They only howled on the death of a member of their pack or that of their master, if you ask me the former was more likely than the latter as the only two people to have ever tamed a hell hound was my father, Hades, Lord of the Underworld and the great Deadelus himself.

I got up from my bunk only to see the sleeping form of other demigod warriors with whom I shared my barracks; most of them were younger than me and fresh into their teenage years. They were neither as experienced nor as strong as I was. I didn't bother to switch on the lamp on my bedside, No, I could see well enough in the dark just as I could see in light.

I searched for my jacket at the foot of my bed and then grabbed my dagger from the table beside my bunk. I thought of slipping on my breastplate and linothorax as a precaution but then decided against it and only slipped on my linothorax; it should give me the standard protection from any attacks and prevent damage from any minor slashes and thrusts. I clipped my dagger to my belt and left the barracks silently without making the slightest noise.

As I slipped outside the Barracks I realised how cold it was, odd, the weather around the Fort and its borders forever remained temperate but this wasn't anything close to it. It was downright cold, similar to stepping outside your home naked in the middle f a blizzard minus the gale force winds. I pulled my jacket closer and zipped, thoughtful of me to slip it on. What the hell was I thinking? But that's when I heard another ear piercing howl, the sound of it magnified by the cold, making it echo in my ears.

I walked along the corridors of the Soldier's barracks and into the front courtyard of the Fort where the troops assembled every morning. In the morning hours the front courtyard was normally bustling with demigods training with their cohort mates, sometimes learning how to spar and other times practicing archery in galleys or learning the essentials of close combat in the pits. However, at night the courtyard saw neither demigod nor any other living being except for a few scattered on the walls, doing their night patrols and other guards in the Guard tower waiting to relieve the soldiers on watch.

Why hadn't they already investigated the howling and put a stop to it? I couldn't understand how they could take it so calmly when I, a Son of Hades couldn't.

I decided to check on the guard commander and made my way to the stone tower on the north east corner of the fortification, As I walked across the courtyard I couldn't help but think that something eerie was about to come our way, something for which we weren't prepared.

I wasn't the one to believe in omens but I just couldn't help it. The howling of the hounds, the chill in the air and the mist rolling down from the hills, ask any Apollo kid and he'd tell you that something unfortunate was about to happen.

As I approached the imposing stone tower, I wondered which cohort's duty was it this month to guard the Fort. My cohort had done it two months ago for the month of April, if my calculations were right...

"Halt! Who goes there?" asked one of the soldiers guarding the entrance to the tower unsheathing his sword and raising his shield. The other two standing guard at the entrance of the Tower crossed their spears to block my way if I didn't come up with the proper verification.

I raised my right hand and showed him the single band platinum ring on my forefinger verifying my status in the ranks and authority. The demigod no more than fourteen bowed to me and gestured at the other two standing guard over the entrance to the tower to let me pass through.

The Guards stood in attention as I walked past them; The Roman Military system was truly good for disciplining young power crazy demigods, no wonder we adopted Camp Jupiter's military system but then it wouldn't have done any good had we not applied Chiron's methods of combat and survival training. I have to admit, combining Greek and Roman skills truly proved out to be a deadly combination.

I climbed the winding stairs up to the observation deck of the tower, there was a high probability that the commanding officer would be there, but if the officer was anything like me they'd be out in the woods finding what was troubling the hell hounds.

I reached the end of the stair case and went through the arch that led to the deck above. There were only three soldiers there all youngsters between the ages of thirteen and fourteen along with another soldier who looked about a year my junior.

As I came out on to the open air deck, the floor board creaked which drew the attention of the soldiers towards me. "Identification" asked the Demigod closer to me in age while the others who had just glanced at me went back to their posts to observe the forests and the magical borders around the Fort.

I again lifted my right hand to prove my identification. In a military system, rank is more important than name and proves to be the only source of identification that one needs to prove. The soldier as I had guessed was junior in rank and promptly stood in attention and saluted.

"At ease" I said curtly acknowledging his salute. "Profile" I asked him in a business like tone my eyes scanning the canopy of the trees and the hills beyond.

"Noah Ellis, Son of Hermes, Guard Commander and Second-in-command of the Masked Messiah Cohort." I nodded, "Report" I said in the same commanding tone.

"Guard Duty taken up on 5th of August from Sea Storm Cohort, 20 soldiers deployed on the Ramparts and parapets of the Fort along with four groups of three each patrolling the magical borders while ten soldiers remain behind at the guard tower to provide relief and another ten in barracks awaiting orders, Sir." He said.

I must admit, I'd take him to be my Second in command any day. "Current status" I asked him. "A breach was detected through the magical borders five kilometres off the western outpost at half past one. The howling started mere seconds after the breach." He said his voice quivering.

"Anything else" I asked turning towards him. "A patrol party was sent to investigate but when we didn't hear from them for quite a while the Commander decided to check out the matter herself and took four soldiers along with her to investigate the breach and to find the missing patrol party." He said out of breath and tensed. He was doing his job well till now but I guess there was too much on his mind. It wasn't wise to go and investigate a breach in the magical borders with just a handful of demigod soldiers. Anyone who had served for a few years around the Fort would know that but in the last few years that I had been in the fort I had never heard of this cohort, neither of its raising and nor did I know any of the demigods in it. I decided to confirm my suspicions.

"You are not from around here, are you?" I asked him. The Guard commander eyed me sceptically, "No Sir, we were brought in from Londinium a day before we took guard duty." He said shortly. That explained a lot, this cohort had been given guard duty without a proper briefing and it might lead to loss of lives if some powerful monster had managed to bring the shields down. I must investigate the matter myself.

I turned on the spot facing the now heavily sighing demigod soldier, "My name is Zeno Leonidas Spades, Son of Hades, Commander of Dealers of Death cohort and Captain of the Council Guard." I said in a tone of authority, one that made all four demigod soldiers stand in attention and salute. "At ease" I aid nodding to them.

I then gave my full attention to the guard commander, his emerald green eyes gleaming like Greek fire and his tousled brown hair peeking from under the helmet. He looked athletic even after donning the bulky hoplite armour, must have some strength and agility to behold in one to one combat, must challenge him to a spar someday I thought to myself.

"Noah Ellis, right?" I inquired of him too which he curtly nodded and without another thought as if he was my own second in command I began to rant orders, "Go to the barracks adjacent to the pier on the lake. There you'll find a barrack at the entry of which is a symbol of two crossed swords and the Helm of Darkness, that's the barracks of the Dealers of Death." He nodded absorbing each order I gave him.

"I want you to wake up my second in command, James Steele, Son of Thanatos" He shuddered at the name of Thanatos but why won't he; Thanatos after all did deal in death. He wasn't one of the most popular gods he did figure in one of the most dreaded though, but so was Hades until he helped overthrow the Titans and Gaea.

"Yes sir" he said regaining his composure, "Good. I want you to wake him up and tell him to follow my trail garbed in full armour with the senior five of the cohort." I said waving him off and making my way down from the observation deck and on the parapet two stories down. I then saw him off running towards the general direction of my barracks and with a last glance I jumped over the wall and into the forest that surrounded the Fort.

Landing on my haunches, I quickly stood up and sped away to the west where the breach had been made. Running through the forest, I couldn't help but observe that the entire forest was eerily quiet except for the continuous howls of the hell hounds which I could now make out were from outside the borders, well that was one worry down.

They hadn't made it through but then why were they agitated, I questioned myself. My question was soon answered when I stumbled upon a body, well stumbled wouldn't be quite right. I fell over while running only to realise that I had found a body, most likely demigod.

I turned the body over; it was face down in the dirt. She was about fourteen years old, slightly tanned but right now looked quite pale. I picked up her petite form and laid her in a sitting position besides a tree. I put my fingers up to her nostrils to check if she was alive, she was. I was glad for that. Normally, my first priority would have been to transport the injured back to camp but right now the situation was more desperate and she seemed fine, just knocked out. From what I could tell she didn't have any fatal injuries, no external blood loss, her breathing was fine and so was her pulse. I decided to send a flare up, by now James would be awake and the Guard Tower would see the flare to inform James of anything new before he starts to follow my trail.

I pulled out a crystal ball, with Greek fire burning bright in it and smashed it on the ground to release the flare, blinding myself in the process. When I regained my sight I could see the flame from the flare dissipate into the night, thinking I had done my bit I picked up on the trail to follow the other members of the search party and from what I could make out they were all light footed and very quick as the trail was very hard to follow but I too had been a tracker for too long a time and was known to find the most alluring of people.

I continued through the thicket, the mist and fog obstructing my way and proving to be a hindrance in following the trail but it wasn't long before I figured out that I was on the right track as I heard a scream of agony from a few hundred metres ahead of me.

There was nothing else to do, with the last ounce of strength left in me, I called upon the shadows around me to take me as their host and before I knew it a hill surrounded me, a chill that not only made me shiver but also send shivers down my spine and goose bumps appear all over my body. I had never experienced such shadow travel before but what was strange was that as my entire body shivered from the chill of shadow travel my right hand burned as if on fire.

I couldn't help but scream in agony and it wasn't long before the shivers ended but the burning of my hand didn't subside. I looked around myself and saw that I had landed right in the middle f a battle scene. It was too hard to make out anything as I was suffering from the temporary blindness that followed shadow travel but from what I could hear it seemed that the demigod soldiers led by the Commander of the Masked Messiah's were in thick shit and needed help. Confusion, Anxiety and anger lined their thoughts.

As I regained my sighed, I could see the blur form of a figure in black, his moved like the wind and was nothing more than a blur at times as he fought the six standing soldiers all breathing deeply and trying to fend off his attacks except for one, a short petite girl with midnight black hair tied in a braid and a lithe body of a warrior. She thrust her knife where the chest of her opponent was a few mere moments ago, he moved extremely fast to avoid her but couldn't block her next thrust which she aimed at his face but cut through his arm.

Injured the 'shadow warrior' sprang up and a double edged stygian sword materialized in his hands. My eyes became wide with shock, there were only five people that currently carried a stygian sword, Council Members Nico Di Angelo and Hazel Levesque, James Steele and I. The fifth person who owned a stygian blade was the former commander of Dealers of Death but there was no way he'd come back here.

As the fiery young warrior dodged his attack he spun on the spot, releasing a shock wave that threw all other surrounding warriors on ground. There was no time to think, I reached for my dagger on the belt and it magically enlarged and took the form of a six feet long scythe. I charged at him and then at the last moment disappeared in the shadows, only to attack from another direction, too late, he too had moved and I could sense his presence, a familiar presence but who?

I apparated out of the shadows only to find him charge towards me with his sword in hand. I drew up my scythe just in time to shield myself from the coming blow, but it was of no use, the blow was strong enough to drop me to my knees, using the scythe was a bad idea and in order to get better footing I again shadow travelled this time to put distance between us.

I appeared on the edge of the clearing while he stood in the middle. I transformed my scythe into a three inch long stygian blade. The shadow warrior before me chuckled but I didn't give I a single thought other than charge towards him and thrust the sword right down his chest. He moved out of the way but I continued the attack, swinging to the top left and then bringing the sword down to cut through him, he deflected my blow with his own sword and then whirled away from the spot but I was ready this time and slashed the smoky shadows that had begun to appear behind me.

The shadow dissipated but reformed and came from both directions, not taking any chances I sprang into the air and the cloud of shadows collided beneath me only to reform the warrior who got hold of my leg and brought me crashing down. My sword fell out of my hand, only to return to my sheath which I had forgotten in the barracks, foolish of me and before another though traversed through my mind my right hand began to burn again but this time it was more of a tingling sensation and not unpleasant in any form.

The man drew his sword on my neck and I said my last prayer, knowing that the ring would now pass on to James if this hooded figure killed me but the next few words that came out of his mouth were enough to send me in a state of shock, words I knew I'd never hear in my life especially from a person I never thought would return, "It's high time I took back the Command of Dealers of Death, wouldn't you agree?" He said in a familiar haunting voice.

I knew who this was but I wouldn't agree till I saw it from my very own eyes and as if he was reading my mind he lowered his hood to reveal the familiar face I knew. Spiked up inky black hair, haunting deep blue eyes and a smirk plastered on his square jawed face, Alec Blackwood, Son of Thanatos had reinstated his command over the Dealers of Death as a platinum band appeared on the fore finger of his right hand and I knew that James gold ring of second in command had appeared on mine clearly demoting me according to our military norms.

"You fought well. Just a little slow", He smirked at me. He drew back his sword and gave me a hand to help me up. "Why?" I asked him taking his hand and getting up on my own two feet. He turned his back to me. I knew he was laughing but I was in the mood for some answers.

I was about to repeat my question when he cut in, "I hope you have backup coming because we have a lot of injured demigods to carry back home" and with a wave of his hand the hounds that had continuously howled throughout the night suddenly stopped, followed by pin drop silence.

The Howling of Hounds normally brought bad news and I had no idea if this was orchestrated or not. I wanted some answers but I knew I wouldn't get them tonight atleast.

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><p><strong>AN:** R & R


	5. A Trip to Hades

**A Trip to Hades**

Ever been neck deep in freezing water?

No? Well lucky you, because I have not only been neck deep in absolute zero freezing water but actually experienced drowning in it. It's been one of my closest near death experiences and yes I have had more than one but this one for the lack of a better term authentically qualifies, as I escaped the jaws of death by mere micrometers. I actually saw, the fabled illumination at the end of the dark tunnel, still shuddered at the thought of it.

The last thing I remember is being unceremoniously dropped from a great height. I remember being knocked out and falling head first into the sea below, I made contact with the clam surface with a ricocheting sound.

My head hurt as if an anvil had been dropped on it but soon the chill got to me, at first it felt only cold but then it felt as if my entire body was being simultaneously pierced by hundreds of needles, I wanted to scream but I couldn't. I had gone completely rigid; my senses had been shocked by the intense cold, unable to bring about a reaction.

Imagine my agony, I wanted to cry out in pain but I couldn't. The pain subsided though or maybe my senses got so numbed that I couldn't feel it anymore. I was in a state of comatose, I felt tired, devoid of energy. I now felt comfortable in what was soon to be my watery grave and for a while I thought I had even died as I saw Hades from afar, not the God but his realm.

From afar I could see the River Styx flowing through the Fields of Asphodel and the Fields of Punishment. I could also make out the silhouette of a tower of obsidian and gold which I knew to be Lord Hades' palace in the underworld. A sight to see I have heard but right now with my conscience in limbo, I the hell couldn't come up with words in appreciation. With each passing moment I felt as if I was drawing closer to the realm of the undead and for no apparent reason I felt content, why? But before my question could be answered I felt a tug about my navel, I didn't know what was happening to me but the mere thought of being in the underworld made me panic and before I could react, the world of destroyed mortal dreams around me vanished only to be replaced by the same pain that had been inflicted upon me what I believed were hours but just happened to be a few minutes.

That people, is referred to as hypothermia and it's not a good way to die, trust me; been there and almost done that. So, where was I, the tug at my navel, a literally out of body experienced of being pierced through by a curved blade harpoon. I think I must have screamed like hell, but I didn't have any energy to do so I guess, especially after trying to scream my lungs out, devoid of air.

I could feel someone pulling me out of my misery, I could see the illumination at the end of the tunnel again but this time it was different. The illumination sparkled of new life, the surface of the water netting the rays of the sun to illuminate its depths.

With every tug that I felt, I came closer to the netted illumination. I could feel the drop in temperature or maybe I was just getting used to the extreme cold by now. I closed my eyes, giving into sleep. I felt s tired, drained to be exact. I thought of rejuvenation at the end of my ordeal, but that was not to be. With one final tug I had finally surfaced.

I coughed out water as I drew my first lungful of air, the water had been blocking my airways. I heard a splash, someone had jumped in the water and before I knew it I felt an arm around my waist and as if by instinct I encircled my arms around the person's neck.

"You'll be alright, just let me get the harpoon out of you. Don't move a muscle" He said in a ragged voice, struggling for air. I couldn't keep awake anymore, I was too tired, too drained but I was glad to be in his arms, to be alongside him before I closed my eyes and when I did so, I didn't know that I was breathing my last or was I?

I have known fear and the anger that comes along with it but never had I witnessed the pain that came along with it nor the suffering I knew would follow, is this why death is feared? Fear again, quite a vicious cycle I must say but then again I wasn't in my senses when the girl I so loved went limp in my hands while I tried to save her.

With my arms around her middle, I felt her going limp in my arms. Her body was like dead weight, had she passed out? Had she given in? No...Hell no.

As an endless stream of negative thoughts raced through my mind I tried my best to keep us afloat. I tried to speak to her, to get her to wake up but it seemed that she had passed out. I felt her pulse on the neck but that too was weak, nevertheless she was alive but she needed help.

She needed urgent medical attention, ambrosia and nectar wouldn't do the trick this time. I searched the sky for my steed, unable to see his grey form in the sky lined with dark clouds, I whistled loud enough for him to hear my call, knowing full well that he'd be in earshot.

And I was right; through the dark menacing storm grey clouds I saw the figure of a Metallic white Pegasus, 'Ferrum' somersault towards us. His body was a steal grey in colour and a black leather bridle with matching reigns fastened on the saddle. I heard him neigh as he neared me, but he wasn't alone other pegasi neighed in response from all directions. The other members of our cohort were looking for us as well.

He whinnied in response to those who he couldn't see, I sighed tightening my hold on her. I couldn't give up on her never, never have and never will and as if someone had head my silent prayer, I felt as if a new wave of energy and strength was coursing through my body.

I felt rejuvenated and strong but most important of all I no longer felt cold. I was in the middle of the Atlantic with a small hope of survival and I felt... for the lack of a better term... warm. My senses returned to me as did my divine powers, powers that my father had bestowed upon me.

Ferrum was now hovering over me and I could see other pegasi mounted by demigods fly towards me. The first to reach was my Quarter Guard, Tzefira Landen, daughter of Aeolus, sitting on a chestnut Pegasus.

She tied the reigns of her Pegasus to the saddle and then swept off him, hovering right above us in midair, being a child of Aeolus does have its advantages I must say. She then removed a rope from the saddle and threw one end at me while tying the other end to Steele's saddle.

I quickly tied the rope around myself and wrapped it around my arm, while my other arm held tightly the one I loved.

Tzefira hovered done, almost to the surface of water. "Let me take her" she said opening her arms, "Let me take Alyssa and you'll be free to climb on to Steele" she said trying to persuade me to let her go. I just strengthened my hold on to her.

Tzefira's greyish blue eyes gleamed with anger, "You are going to die and you are going to take Alyssa along with you if you don't give her to me" She shouted at me her jaw clenched and a vein popping on her neck.

I stared at her trying to establish my authority as the commander of the cohort but my stare was met with denial and then I realised that I wasn't thinking straight. I was being foolish but I still didn't want to leave my hold on her, What if she dropped her? What would happen then?

No, I couldn't give her to Tzefira. I'd get us both out of her and I stared her down only to be met with refusal and if I wasn't mistaken disobedience and before I could say anything to her, "Forgive me James", she said without any remorse in her voice and in a flash she detached a foot long metal cylinder, enlarging into a spear and before I could think, I felt pain, a pain that was splitting my head and the feeling of falling into nothingness.

I woke up to a throbbing headache and the after effects of a seizure because as soon as I woke up I began convulsing, continuously hit by spasms and it wasn't over till I threw up the contents of my stomach over and around me.

I don't remember much after that, other than people in white and lime green robes and linothoraxes running towards me and pinning me down to the bed. I remember someone holding my head down and running their hand through my hair, telling me it's all going to be all right followed by a sharp pain on my wrist, they had drugged me, so that I may sleep and sleep I did, the familiar darkness taking over me once again.

I woke up thirsty, my throat dry and burning. I tried to get up but couldn't bring myself to lift up my body but nevertheless I tried hauling myself up on my elbows trying to sit upright which I failed to do, only to be caught before I fell back on to my bed.

I could feel an arm around my shoulders preventing me from falling back on to the mattress, "Easy there mein freund. You gave us quite a scare." I heard the familiar smiling voice of my old time friend Nick Scholz, Son of Nike and my Second in Command.

He then helped me to an upright position and handed me a bottle of water. He stood by me while I drank, observing me for any further symptoms of a seizure. After I had quenched my thirst I looked at him longingly, seeking answers which I knew he won't give me till I get out of the infirmary.

There weren't many other occupants, I counted three on the bases of lamps glowing on the bed sides not including mine, they all seemed to be fast asleep. I gave him another long look and quirked my eyebrow.

He scrunched his in return and drew a chair to sit on. Scratching his head and scrunching his eyebrows, "What do you want to know?" he asked.

I sighed not in the mood for his mind games.

I drew a deep breath, "How did I land up in the Infirmary?" I asked through clenched teeth. To my surprise he smiled and then started laughing. "Nick" I said in my deep commanding voice, glaring at him I repeated my question, "How did I land up in the Infirmary?"

"Tzefira knocked you out when you didn't let go of Alyssa." He said in a grave tone however I wasn't moved; I seethed with anger, letting it out in the form of curses.

"I know you are pissed off." He said looking at me "But she did do it to protect the both of you." He said trying to calm me down.

I don't remember what I did next. I don't even remember what happened to me but I remember the darkness that clouded my vision before I fell into the darkness that surrounded me, separating me from Alyssa.

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><p>AN:

Well I'm glad that this story was admitted to a community, thanks **wacko12**. I guess I'll continue updating now. Reviews matter to me but so do my readers. So I'm going to upload for all those people who read "Fire in the Void". Thank you for reading it guys and thanks for putting it on your favourite and alert lists.

**StardustX**- I don't think I'm portraying Hestia as a dark character. She's just rethinking her role and position. I'm glad you like her.

Characters Introduced till now are:

Alec Blackwood, Zeno Leonidas, Astria Cielo, Tzefira Landen, James Steele, Noah Ellis, James Lowell, Nick Scholz, Mikaela Sapientia and Alyssa Li.

Many more to come in the next chapter, Especially the Apollo kids.


	6. Blood, Alcohol and Ambrosia

**Blood, Alcohol and Ambrosia**

I found myself walking on a beach having no memory of how I got there but I continued to walk, the waves from the Atlantic wetting my feet as I walked on the powdery white sand glowing with a gelatinous hue in the light of the setting chrome yellow sun.

The sea foaming at the rocks bringing with it sea weed and crustaceans, taking them back as the current swept away only to be brought back by the waves. I soon came to a rock formation slightly of the beach and decided to get up there and see the sun disappear from across the horizon to make way for the moon.

I began to make my way to the rocks, carefully treading the waters to avoid any deep pools that the waves had brought in. One wrong step and I would never be able to make out of them alive but it so happened that no matter how careful I was, I wouldn't make it to the rocks to see the sunset.

A strong wave accompanied by a quick current made me lose my balance sending me into the water. I closed my eyes in fear, waiting to feel the splash and the water around me, only to find myself wide awake with sweat on my brow in a darkly lit room on my bunk in the infirmary barracks of Fort Olympus.

Instantly my bedside lamp lit up with a dim light. I turned to see who had lit it, only to find my twin sister staring at me. "It's good you are awake. I was coming to find you only." She said, her voice tensed and her lips trembling.

I sat up on my bed pulling a sweater on, it was surprisingly cold tonight, wonder why that was?

"I'll meet you in the infirmary" She said running off to the infirmary her lime green cloak billowing behind her, her beautiful brown hair tied in a loose messy braid to keep her hair away from her face while working.

I could smell the stench of blood and alcohol in the air, a stench that she had brought in and covered her and it could mean only one thing, multiple open wounds and injuries. I quickly go up from my bed and slapped myself to full consciousness.

I then opened the trunk below my bunk and pulled out my linothorax, leggings and boots. Once dressed, I picked up my lime green healers cloak from the nightstand and dashed out of my barracks.

As soon as I stepped out into the back courtyard to head to the barracks across a sudden chill got to me making goose bumps erupt all over my arms and legs. I made haste, not to help my sister with the healing but to get out of the cold and into the warm surroundings of the infirmary.

I ran across the courtyard, my robes getting wet with the falling dew.

As soon as I reached the infirmary doors, I removed my cloak to let it dry and then looked over the beds for my sister. She was nowhere in sight, "Hey Jude, Where is Alaine? She asked me to come here ASAP." I asked a petite brunette girl with sun kissed skin and warm chocolate brown eyes.

"She's in the private cabin on the other side." Jude said with a grave voice her eyes moist. I looked at her perplexed, "Its Alyssa." She said her voice quivering, "She's..." but I didn't stay long enough to hear the rest.

I quickly walked down the aisle of beds to the private cabin that served as our emergency room.

The room for the lack of a better term was crowded, not only with healers from the Apollo and Asclepius cabins but also fully armoured demigod warriors from Alyssa's Fists of Fury's Cohort.

The stench of alcohol and ambrosia in the air was thick.

A stream of negative thoughts ran through my mind grounding me to the spot however they were broken by the loud high pitched voice of one, who I knew very well.

"So what if I hit him on the head."Screamed Tzefira at the top of her lungs, her hands fisted and teeth clenched, murderous looks haunting her face one mirrored by Alice Foreman, my half-sister.

"Are you out of your bloody mind?"Alice screamed right back her, her gaze fixed on Tzefira while she stitched the cut on her patients' forehead. "Pay attention to what you are doing." Tzefira hissed back at her threateningly.

Alice bit her tongue, swallowing her retort in order to avoid any unpleasantness. I walked to her side and whispered, "Where are Alaine and Alyssa?" while passing her the bandages and a syringe with 1ml of nectar to be directly injected into the system.

She took the syringe and injected it into the patient's arm, a patient who looked really familiar to me. I had seen him around the cabin and near Alyssa's cohort barracks but had never been formally introduced.

She handed the syringe back to me and handed the bandages to Kia, another half sister of ours. She then took me by the arm outside the room, glaring at the warriors and passing a non verbal message to give them space.

Most of the warriors cleared out except for two, Tzefira and another male demigod who I noticed wore a gold ring on his right index finger, I guessed him to be the Second in command of the cohort but before I could think of anything else I was pulled out by Alice who took me to a private examination room and locked the door from within.

She then too my complete horror began to cry. I got a hold of her and hugged her tightly trying to soothe her by rubbing her back, "She's been... poi...soned with... a Stygian... arrow" she managed to say amidst her sobs.

Tears welled up into my eyes. I knew there was no known cure for a wound from a Stygian arrow, at least none known to us. The gods must know one and maybe that's where they are but I had to know.

"Where are they? " I asked her bringing her to face me, my eyes holding back my own tears. I couldn't be weak as it was my job now to manage the cabin until Alaine or Alyssa came back.

"Olympus... at Father's... sacred temple." She then again began to cry and I held her in my arms, rubbing her back, continuing to hold my own tears.

I prayed to my father to save Alyssa's s life. Without her we wouldn't know who to turn to for guidance and support. She was our pillar of strength, our foundation.

If anything happened to her it would make a serious impact, not only on us but on the life of several demigods and legacies that resided within Fort Olympus.

No, I said to myself with determination, nothing would happen to her and I continued to calm Alice down. There was much to do and I need her to be calm. My first priority was my cabin and my patients, the rest Apollo and the Gods shall take care of.

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><p><strong>AN:**

**Rate and Review.**


	7. Leader or Not?

**Leader or Not?**

**Zeno's POV**

I looked at the plain gold band on my index finger.

To anyone else it would appear just that, a plain gold band but to me it was a symbol of demotion. True I had worn it for a few years and worn it with pride nonetheless, but when I traded it for the platinum band and the power that came with it, never in my wildest dreams I had thought that I would wear it once again.

Never had I thought that I would have to relinquish my command. True, that any warrior who wished to challenge me for the command of my cohort had every right to do so and if I lost, I would either be exiled or made second in command but till now it had never happened and I never expected it to happen, until today and it would take a great amount of courage to get over it.

Time will take its course. Till then, I shall do what is expected of me.

I sighed in frustration, there was too much behind the veil and I had every wish to tear it down to get to the answers but I couldn't. It wasn't my place. I had to obey the laws that governed our society and military structure. Without those we'd all be in chaos... Chaos, I sighed at the word.

Chaos, Primeval God of the Void, Creator of the Primeval Gods, Lord of all matter and energy, I wonder how the word chaos is synonymous with unpredictability, disorder and confusion. It may be a reference to the state chaos was in before the creation of life.

We walked through the emerald green forest to the Fort, the mist from the mountains disappearing like wisps of smoke into the air and twilight giving way to dawn.

It had been a chaotic night. With the howling of the hounds, the disappearance of the patrolling parties and the coming back of 'Commander' Alec Blackwood, I don't think it could be termed as anything else.

Last time around when Blackwood was commander of Dealers of Death, we were charged with disobedience and flouting of council orders and it so happened he left us in a lurch to take care of the cohort all by ourselves not realising that his self exile had damaged the reputation of the cohort.

"You can't seem to keep your thoughts to yourself." Alec cut in, interrupting my thought process. He then looked at me with his traditional smirk plastered on his face.

"May be you need to stop prying on what others think." I retorted back, each word lined with venom.

He sent another smile my way and started walking again, no doubt with that wicked smirk plastered to his face. I seethed in anger. This was ridiculous, to hell with Council laws. I would not let him drag my warriors into another pit of death like last time.

My fingers clenched into fists. I don't know who was more fortunate that I didn't have my sword on me, Alec or I because if I did, one of us would have been on our funeral pyre in the evening covered with shrouds from our cabin and cohort.

"Angry much?" asked James from behind me. I turned to see him, my emotions mirrored on his face. Looks like I wasn't the only one unhappy from his return.

"I can deal with it." I said trying to avert myself from my current line of thought, "You?" I asked him mockingly, a smile playing on my lips.

His brow furrowed and the lines on his forehead creased, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. I gripped his arm and slapped him across the face. "Are you out of your mind?" I asked him, my eyes boring into his.

His anger was paramount, clouding his mind and thoughts. Anger was the root cause for all evil and pain, especially for a demigod. Anger combined with ADHD could drive a demigod to insanity and ultimately a death sentence.

James was beside himself with rage and if he didn't control himself his anger would not only consume him but us as well. "Are you listening to me? Snap out of it" I said in a commanding voice.

He glared at me, his fists still clenched and his teeth gritting, a growl reverberating in his chest but soon he started to regain control over himself. His began to draw deep breaths and closed his eyes, his breathing eased after a while.

He had restrained himself but I don't know for how long. If there was someone who had been most affected by the way Alec abandoned us all those years ago it was James, his younger demigod brother. Although they were Thanatos' sons from different mothers the bond between them had developed to be that of blood brothers, a bond that Alec had severed by taking one wrong, hasty decision for his matter of pride, not honour.

"I know what you are going through." I said looking him in the eye, "But this doesn't change the fact that he's returned or the fact that he's our commander." I said loosening my grip on his arm.

I felt him relax his hold on the helm of his sword. I then left his arm and continued on the path, "Report, What took you so long to reach us?" I asked him out of habit while I walked on, James following me like a shadow; he was still the quarter guard of the Cohort.

"Our search party constituted of ten soldiers. We saw the flare go up in the sky as soon as we exited the Fort." He said in a matter of fact way, "continue" I said, set in the rhythm of a leader.

"We found the girl and sent her back with one of the soldiers for medical attention." He said his voice shaking, I stopped in my tracks. "Is there something you wish to tell me James?" Fear was etched on his face.

I walked to him and kept my hand on his shoulder, "James is there something you wish to tell me?" I asked him again. "I went forward without anyone to track you down leaving others to follow me." He said his voice quivering.

"Yeah, go on" I said.

"I heard the sound of swords clashing and the screams and shouts of fury. I ran towards you, recognising your voice but..." He suddenly stopped.

I heard the familiar sound of crunching of leaves. I looked over James shoulder to see the other warriors of my cohort carrying the injured warriors and demigods of the Masked Messiah cohort. The soldier in the lead carried the petite girl who had fought with the ferocity of a fury against Alec the previous night.

She wore a leather linothorax and from what I could make out a breastplate of steel glazed with silver. She had beautiful olive coloured skin that complemented her fine midnight hair.

"Is that all of them I asked the warrior in lead carrying the leader of the Masked Messiah" I asked with my familiar authority.

The warrior nodded, carefully treading his path so as not to disturb the unconscious form of the girl over his shoulder. It was truly hard to believe that a petite _girl _like her had challenged Alec in a one on one duel and survived to tell the tale but then again he wasn't trying to kill her no matter how close he came to it.

I simply nodded in recognition and let them pass James and I, so that we could bring the rear. It was important that we kept maximum distance from Alec for now, at least between James and Alec. James was in the mood to cause some serious injury to Alec and Alec... well let us say that his defensive moves alone would be sufficient to kill James, if he confronted with anger coursing through his veins.

As the last of my search party disappeared in the trees ahead I beckoned James to follow them while I brought up the rear. There was much to think upon and I felt quite lost at the moment. Maybe the councillors could guide me...

"...or maybe not." I heard the familiar voice from behind me. The voice was grave and devoid of any emotion. The temperature around me seemed to drop by a few degrees; I lowered my eyes instantly and saw the mist return to the forest floor.

With much conviction I looked over my side and then turned behind to see the familiar figure of my elder brother. He stood there tall and proud, a darkness emanating from him covering the trees in shadow and absorbing the light from the sun on the horizon creating an aura of darkness.

I went down on one knew and bowed deeply.

"There's no need for formalities when we are in private company Zeno." He said his voice tinged with affection. It was rare for him to show affection to anyone above the age of seven, only one of our sisters who had been orphaned about a year ago and was about five years old fit that norm.

He gave me a hand and helped me rise. "Walk beside me" he said. It sounded more like an order than a request or a demand and so I did. I noticed his left hand was on the helm of his two and a half feet long Stygian iron sword.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to behead you for your insubordination to your new commander." He said with a sarcastic undertone and continued "On the contrary, give him hell from me."

It was my turn to laugh now. Nico always had been very proud of Alec; I wouldn't be going far if I said that he was his favourite demigod warrior. Everyone knew the pains that Nico had taken to prove Alec innocent in the eyes of the Council.

"You brought him back didn't you?" I asked hesitantly. It wasn't advisable to question Nico reason being he never answered neither to the Olympian Council nor to our father. Nico's silence spoke volumes and somewhere deep within I was hurt although there was no particular reason to be. I knew he didn't owe me an explanation.

"I think I do." He said. He had read my mind again. I really needed to learn how to shield my thoughts to prevent embarrassing myself in front of him again.

He silently smiled. "The only reason I brought him back is because I knew we'll need all the help we can find in the near future." He said in a slow, even voice.

I looked at him my eyebrow arched in question.

"It's not for you to know but Lord Zeus has summoned a gathering of the Grand Council on the Autumn Equinox." He said answering my unasked question.

"Isn't the Grand Council held on the Winter Solstice?" I asked him unsure about the facts.

He simply nodded and refrained from giving any more information. We walked the rest of the way to the Fort in silence, the shadows following us as we traversed through the thickets of the forest.

We soon reached the tree line that began at the edge of the Fort grounds, vast spaces of clearing meant for carrying out drills and training. While still far from the first outpost, Nico came to an abrupt halt.

I came to stand beside him and was about to ask him why he had stopped when I felt a sudden gust of wind from behind us. I was thrown face forward on the ground.

With my face covered in dirt, I tried to get up but failed due to a sharp unbearable pain in my abdomen. I brought my hand there to inspect it and as I touched the wound I yet again howled out in pain. My abdomen had been slashed open; I could feel my entrails peeking out of the wound, the grime of the forest floor sticking to them.

I was in no condition to get up or move. Unarmed and defenceless, I was easy prey for any predator. I made peace with my father knowing that some monster was about to feast on me. I growled again as I turned over, my right hand covering my wound forcing my entrails to stay inside. It would be one hell of a mess to clean them out later.

The sun shone with a dull gleam, the shadows surrounding me but there was something strange about them. With every fleeing second they seemed to darken, blocking out the sun's light. It felt as if I was shadow travelling.

The shadows engulfed me into the nothingness of their void. I could feel the cold shivers running down my spine with the sensation of my life force being drained drop by drop from my body. My head was spinning from exhaustion. I could smell the metallic stench of blood in the air and couldn't keep awake anymore and as the light from the sun faded away so did my will to stay awake and I gave into the force guiding me to the nothingness I was entrapped in.

**Nico's POV**

I felt a familiar presence around us or rather a presence I had felt before, a presence I had felt while shadow travelling. A force strong enough to send shivers down my spine. It felt as if the shadow world itself had become conscious, shadow travelling was no longer safe not until I figured out the nature and strength of this dark presence and I guess my chance was now.

My entire body went into shock as I felt the presence about me, its strength had increased manifolds since the last time I had experienced it. I brought my hand to my blade but I was already too late. A strong gust of wind had picked me up and had thrown me up into the air, spinning about myself.

I hit a tree with such force that it broke into two at the point where I hit it. In the far distance I heard the bugles on the outpost of Fort Olympus blow loudly, alerting the entire Fort. I tried to get up despite the splinters all over the body and the numerous cuts and wounds.

I hauled myself up on an elbow and saw my stygian sword lying in its sheath on the far end of the clearing but my focus quickly shifted as I felt another strong pulse of power. I looked around to try and spot Zeno but all I saw was a swirling storm of shadows at the point where I had stood with him moments before.

No, I couldn't let him be taken away from me. I had promised to myself that I wouldn't lose anymore siblings after Bianca. No one could ever separate me from my siblings again.

A strong surge of power ran through my body, an electrifying force that lit my entire body on fire. I heard agonized screams of those damned souls who had to spend centuries in the field of punishment.

I cried out as I saw the storm of shadows take form and materialize itself into a near human shape. Before me arose a man from the shadows, robed in living shadows, his face covered with a cowl.

He radiated pure energy and force. Force strong enough to rival the strength of Gaea but I wasn't deterred. In my infinite rage at the loss of a brother I focussed all my strength and power, channelling into one single attack.

I called my stygian sword to myself. Grasping it tightly, I charged at the figure with blinding speed. I raised my sword to cut his head off from his shoulders in one stroke and as I began to slash I saw a twisted smile appear on the man's face. His lips curved into a sadistic smile and I felt myself being thrown back, I felt pain instead of energy coursing through my body.

I cried out in agony I was thrown back into the air slashed all over multiple times by what I felt was wind. I didn't realise when I made contact with the ground. I had already passed out due to the pain by then, unaware of the man cloaked in shadows running his hand down my face marvelling at my strength with a twisted smile plastered on his face.


	8. Vestals and Sentinels

**Vestals and Sentinels  
><strong>

**James POV**

I woke up to the sound of loud angry voices.

With a throbbing headache and my muscles still in pain from the after effects of being injected with nectar I opened my eyes to a sunlit infirmary. The translucent veils around my bed had been drawn to provide privacy. I hauled myself upon my elbows and sat up on my bed.

The voices only got louder with each passing moment. Thinking that I had been in bed for far too long, I decided to get up. Although I still had a lingering pain I knew I was strong enough to leave the infirmary now, I was a demigod after all.

I drew back the veils to reveal a sunlit infirmary with many beds like mine however all except mine had their veils drawn back and were empty. I don't know why but I felt ashamed to occupy one such bed, I was a cohort leader after all. It didn't do well on my reputation to end up in the infirmary after a mission but then again the events of the mission would put anyone under a come and a state of shock.

As I reached for the glass of water on my bedside my thoughts shifted to Alyssa. Why wasn't she here? Where was she if not there? I left the glass as it is and got off my bed.

After stumbling for the first few steps I made my way to the rack that held the patients armour. Mine was the only one there along with another set of dark black robes, linothorax and breastplate and leather hide boots.

On the rack below lay a two and a half sword with a two handed grip in a midnight blue sheath engraved with symbols of the underworld, probably the armour of someone from Dealers of Death. Only they were known to wear dark coloured robes and armour. They liked to stick their origins but so did most of us.

I quickly changed out of the infirmary whites and into my linothorax which smelt like the sea. It hadn't been cleaned yet. I then donned my armour. I fixed the breastplate, the greaves and the bracers and slipped my feet into leather hide boots.

I left my backplate and helmet as it is. Strapping my sword on to my back I then headed out to look for Alyssa. I simply had to find her, she was alive the last time I saw her. She had been in my arms; she couldn't have given out on me not after everything we had planned to do. I was in a state of unrest and pain beyond belief now.

There was no where here to answer my question but I needed to inquire someone about her. I then heard the commotion which again drew my attention, maybe someone there could help me with finding Alyssa after all she was a child of Apollo and the infirmary was packed with healers from the Apollo cabin.

I walked out of the infirmary and climbed the stairs that led to the private medical cabin, normally reserved for serious injuries, operations and members of council.

I climbed the flight of stairs on top of which stood two burly warrior demigods. Dressed in midnight black armour, with the Helm of Darkness intricately carved on the breastplate the Dealers of Death stood with their spears crossed denying entry to anyone.

I lifted my right hand and revealed my forefinger to establish my authority over them but the spears remained crossed however uncertainty etched their face. They were hesitant to let me in but I too needed information about Alyssa.

I drew my sword, pointing it towards them. They flinched with fear as my aura peaked however they didn't make a single move and stood their ground. "Give way" I seethed I anger.

The spears remain crossed although the ones holding them did look frightened. I took a step towards them my sword now tight in my grasp. It was then that they drew in their spears not to give way but take up defensive postures.

They raised their shields, their spears mounted ready to defend and subsequently attack. "Leave my way. I need to see a healer." I said again, my voice a double timbre and that of authority. However they stood their ground but I too was undeterred, I was a commander and outranked them in both strength and power.

These warriors needed to learn their place and I was about to teach them a lesson they'd never forget and I raised my sword for the first blow. "There wouldn't be a need for that" said a soft feminine voice from behind me.

I spun on the spot to see the tall and lithe figure of Alice, a daughter of Apollo who I had recently come to an acquaintance with. Her tan skin appeared coppery in the early hours of the morning sun. The Dark shrouded warriors put their shields down and returned to the crossing of spears, denying me entry yet again and although they looked ashamed at their behaviour they never said anything.

"Come with me James" she said in a soft voice. With one last look at the guards I sheathed my sword and followed her down the stairs and into the empty sun bathed infirmary. She stood there at an open window, looking out at the rising sun.

I walked up to her, looking at the horizon, while the breeze caressed my face. "I'm sorry" she said her voice quivering. I knew it then that I had lost Alyssa and my memories of the day before suddenly returned in a flash.

While I held her in my arms in the frigid waters of the north, the waves pummelling us to the cold and dark abyss I had felt her go limp. I had felt life leaving her body and her pulse slowing down and although she was still breathing somewhere deep within I knew that she might not make it.

My life with her flashed in front of my eyes. From the moment she joined my cohort to the kiss that we shared before we left for our last mission. From the first time that I picked her up and spun her round when she accepted my proposal to the moment she looked me in the eye for the last time before passing out into the dark.

A tear ran down my cheek. I was not the one to cry. Children of Mars and Ares were not the one to cry but we were human as well. We must have the strength of the gods but we had human emotions and feelings, we were demigods the lot of us and we had a right to express our emotions and feelings.

"I'm sorry that you'll never be able to see her again." She said her voice shaking. "She's a vestal now." My eyes widened with shock and then it hit me, "She's alive?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

Alice looked at me, her eyes moist. She looked at me perplexed and then nodded.

A moment ago I had been burning in agony. My life had come to a standstill but now, now I felt as if I had been rammed by a Minotaur. "How in the name of Hades could I even think about losing Alyssa?" I grasped her by her arms and looked her in the eye.

"Where is she?" I said in a no nonsense tone. She looked at me painfully. Was I hurting her? I don't think so; my grasp wasn't that tight.

I continued to stare at her in the eye, waiting for a response but none came. Why wouldn't she answer? Was she lying to me? If Alyssa truly was alive, why won't she let me be with her? Why would they separate me from her?

It was too much for me to handle. I didn't realise that my grip had tightened on her arms until she cried out in pain. "Where is she?" I asked her once again letting go of her arms.

"I already told you. She's a Vestal now." She said tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Vestal" I repeated the word several times in my head before it sunk in, or did it? I looked at Alice, crumpled on the infirmary floor her face buried in her hands, sobbing silently.

For a moment I felt as if someone had taken away the floor from beneath my feet. I lost my balance and had to support myself by pushing my back towards the wall. I knelt beside Alice, my eyes vacant and my thoughts clouded and I continued to repeat the same word over and over again, "Vestal".

I don't know how long I sat there, I was lost I my thoughts of the past. My future clouded and dark, or was there even one without her. I didn't even know if there was one without Alyssa. All I knew was that all I had and cared for was lost. My future and life was lost.

The darkness had won over me propelling me into its abyssal depths.

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><p><strong>Katherine's POV<strong>

The stench of blood combined with alcohol was getting to my head.

Blood was something that I could still handle. What I couldn't handle was a group of testosterone and adrenaline charged demigods shouting at each other in an operation theatre, exchanging blows left, right and centre and wildly cursing out while a seriously injured person continued to lose blood and etch his way to death.

The healers, namely Kyra and Alaine Sawyer worked furiously in stopping the blood flow. While Kyra worked on cleaning Nico's wounds, Alaine stitched and bandaged them together. However the slash across his abdomen was something else completely.

It was five inches in length and at least half an inch across with blood oozing out as if someone had left the tap open. I always wondered if Nico could turn any paler than he already was, I stand answered.

His skin tone was now a pearly shade of chalk white. Had we been delayed by even a minute, Nico would have died but now he was fighting for his life and there was a chance that he'd survive but never the less he had lost too much blood the odds were against him but in all fairness if there was anyone who deserved a second chance at life it was Nico.

The one thing I had learnt at Fort Olympus and throughout my life as a demigod warrior was that WE Demigods were only meant for one thing, To Kill or To get Killed. If we didn't come to Fort Olympus we'd be killed by the monsters to whom our blood tastes sweet and coming to Fort Olympus in simple words does mean to KILL.

It's true that the life of a demigod is full of fights, blood and loss but then we do hold the power to make a difference in the world, even if we do it from the background.

I breathed deeply trying to calm myself down. This racket was driving me crazy. With Alec and James shouting at the Healers from the Apollo cabin to make sure Nico lives through this and the Healers threatening the death duo that they would cut their tongues out with the scalpel, the operation theatre was the last place I wanted to be.

As Alaine finished stitching the large gash in Nico's abdomen, Kyra injected him with nectar to help speed up is healing and in a matter of few minutes Nico's breathing began to ease and he began to regain some colour on the face. His tone was changing from the chalk white it was moments before to his characteristic pale white.

I breathed a sigh of relief but there was still too much on my mind. What actually had me worried was the 'Force' that put Nico on the operation table. It was completely unheard that Nico Di Angelo had ever been in the infirmary for medical reasons, let alone entered it. I simply couldn't digest the fact that a force except for Thalia, Percy, Jason and Hazel existed that could put him on an infirmary bed.

It was a well known fact that Council Members of 'The Sentinels' were the only demigods strong enough to take each other. However, none of them would do such a thing and if they wouldn't do it then the only person capable of doing such a thing was...

"A God", a dark voice whispered in my ear. A shiver ran down my spine and my body broke into a cold sweat. I whirled on the spot to look who was behind me only to find that I stood alone in this corner of the room. I was terrified at the thought of hearing voices. It wasn't considered a good omen and usually meant that something wrong was about to happen, but what?

I jumped, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Knife in my hand, I sprang behind to put some distance between me and the person. Alas, it was only Alec looking surprised at my act. I had never held anything against him, no matter what he did I trusted him because I knew however he might be he was a good person but my actions now did take him aback.

I relaxed, easing from my highly defensive stance to one that of complete ease.

"He's stable now." He said looking at me his voice lacking confidence.

I simply nodded and with one last apologising look at him for my reaction, I walked out of the door to inform the Dealers of the Death cohort and the council of 'The Sentinels'.

Leaving the infirmary behind me I walked to the central tower with two guards marching beside me. The Central Tower also known as The Keep, was the headquarters of The Sentinels with the council chambers at the top of the tower, which was enclosed by a glass dome with the constellations circling on the roof too mimic the night sky outside while during the morning it flooded the room with light.

As I walked through the large silver doors of the keep raising my hand to reveal the silver bracer on my right arm revealing myself, Katherine Howell, Daughter of Thanatos and Council Representative of the Sentinels.

The guards at the door snapped to attention and saluted with their spears to their chest, their bodies tense and rigid, and their salutes smart and in order.

This was the best part of being at Fort Olympus; I smiled to myself as I headed up to the council chambers climbing the winding staircase all the way to the top.

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><p><strong>AN: R & R  
><strong>


	9. The Herald

**The Herald  
><strong>

**Katherine's POV**

Hard work is the key to success but the one thing you require to work hard is patience. So indirectly patience becomes the single most important thing in life. A demigod's life is all about being patient. We have to be patient while learning how to fight, patient while practicing and more often than not we have to be patient during our missions, to wait for the opportune moment to strike.

Right now as I stood outside the doors of the council chambers my patience was waning. Normally I wouldn't be so anxious to present a report to the council however today there was too much on my mind and I'm not afraid of admitting that the attack on Nico has instilled fear into me. Why 'fear' you may ask?

Well for the sole reason that some external force was powerful enough to put one of the strongest demigods known to Olympus on a death bed or at least come very close to putting him on one. With every passing moment my anxiety mounted, the uncertainty of the future had me worried.

I stood there lost in my thoughts when the doors to the council chambers opened before me. From within walked out a tall proud woman who over the years I had come to hate, _Erida Psyche, Daughter of Discordia._

"Well, well, well ...The Council's Loudmouth" she sneered at me. Her eyebrows arched and her hand on the helm of her sword. She looked at me in such a way as if she was disgusted by my mere presence. How I hated her? She was the only person who got to me and I the hell don't know why.

"Herald... The Council's Herald" I corrected her emphasising on each and every word, looking her right in the eye.

Her lips curved into an upward smile, "whatever" She said running a hand through her hair as if she was bored, She then looked at me pouting her cherry red lips, "Don't annoy the council, will you. " She said threateningly.

I glared at her. Since when did I get on the Council's nerves, I questioned myself but as soon as the thought crept into my mind. I felt like beating myself, how could I let her get to me and that too twice in a day. I internally scolded myself but I kept my expressions neutral, not to give anything away to her.

With one last disapproving look at me she walked out, her head held high with the pride she had rightfully earned over the years and that's one thing I must give to her I admitted grudgingly.

I heard her footsteps echo as she climbed down the flight of stairs and I stood rooted to the spot till the sound of her footsteps completely faded away.

As the last of the echo of her footsteps faded away into the silence, I drew a deep breath.

With my head held high and my mind clear of all my extraneous thoughts, I walked through the double bronze doors and into the wide circular council hall with a crystal dome illuminating the entire chamber with the light from the sun.

Not that I hadn't been in the council chambers before but every time that I was summoned here the beauty of the room left me enthralled. The way the light through the crystal room illuminated the intricate panelling on the walls of the room, the hangings and banner behind the thrones of the seated council, carrying their symbol of power. It was my dream to have a seat on the council in the future, but I knew it wasn't to be.

Erida was right; I was just a Herald and held no importance in the hierarchy of the Sentinels. I was a nobody...

"Katherine Howell" said a loud and clear voice from my left.

I internally cursed myself. I had forgotten to bow before the council and without wasting another thought I went down on one knee, my head bowed in obedience.

"Rise Katherine." said a woman in a clear cold voice. She was the last person on the council whose voice I wished to hear at the moment but I had to obey her never the less and in swift mood I rose to full attention, my hands behind my back.

Before me sat the leaders of the Council of the Sentinels, The Council at any given time consisted of eight permanent members. It so happened all the permanent members were veterans and heroes of the second Titanomachy and the Gigantomachy.

The council was led by Perceus Jackson, Son of Poseidon and Thalia Grace, Daughter of Zeus and sat at the head of the council. On Perceus' other adjacent side sat Jason Grace, Son of Jupiter and to Thalia's left was an empty seat which belonged to Nico, Son of Hades.

The other four permanent seats were filled by Annabeth Chase, Daughter of Athena and Chief Strategist of the Sentinels and Fort Olympus. To her Right sat Frank Zhang, Son of Mars and Field Martial/Praetor of the Fifth Legion which now constituted only of legacies.

To their opposite sat Hazel Levesque, Daughter of Pluto and Chief Diplomat between the Olympian nations and last but the fiercest of them all, the one to whom the crystal clear, cold voice belonged too, Reyna, Daughter of Belladonna and Field Martial of the Cohorts here at Fort Olympus. Her hounds Aurum and Argentium sat at her heels, waiting for a command.

"We believe you have a Report to submit, regarding Councillor DiAngelo." She asked in the same cold voice sending shivers down my spine. I nodded softly and then turned my attention to Percy and Thalia; both of who I knew were most worried but didn't show even a tiny sliver of it, wearing a perfect facade of nonchalant about the entire matter but I knew they had their ears open for the smallest bit of information.

With one deep breath I began my report on the earlier events of the day, "I was on my way to the council chambers to inform the arrival of Alec Blackwood and the reinstatement of his command over the Dealers of the Death when the conch horn was sounded." I said in one breath, I had their attention as all of them were looking directly at me reserving their questions for the end.

The way they showed no reaction on the mention of Alec's arrival I took it for granted that they already knew about it but if they knew why didn't they inform me. I decided to keep my thoughts and queries aside and concentrate on my report and so I continued, "As soon as I heard the conch horn I ran to the parapets to prepare for the defence of the fort however when I reached there I like many others saw no danger except a broken tree on the edge of the tree line that separates the Fort grounds from the forest."

Once again I stopped waiting for permission to continue. I looked at Thalia directly who just nodded at me, giving me permission to continue until questioned and so I did, "With no sense of immediate danger. I joined the investigative patrol that constituted of members from Dealers of Death and the Masked Messiah as they were the only ones on the spot there." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Councillor Clarisse La Rue, A burly Daughter of Ares taking down notes, no doubt making sure to assign more people to guard duty.

"When we reached there we saw Councillor Nico lying on the ground with multiple wounds all over his body and a large gash on his abdomen as if someone had slashed him open. We checked his pulse and as soon as we confirmed that he was still alive we took him o the infirmary to be treated where he is now recuperating from his injuries. The Healers say that he'll be fine by tomorrow." I finished my report now waiting to be bombarded by questions.

The councillors seemed deep in thought, it was possible that the details of the event had left them perplexed but then it was their duty to lead us and help us in clearing our vision.

"Do any of you know who or what attacked Nico?" Asked Annabeth, from her expressions I could tell that she was going through a million thoughts in her head.

"No." I said but then on a later though I added, "We did feel a presence though."

"What kind of presence?" Thalia cut in rising from her seat, her brilliant blue eyes staring right down at me.

A shiver ran down my spine. What was I supposed to say? A presence that felt stronger than a God.

"What kind of presence?" Thalia repeated her question, her voice an octave higher and dangerous.

"That of a god" I said but I'm pretty sure to them it sounded like mumbling.

"Louder" Reyna said angrily.

I gathered my wits about me and with a single deep breath, "**Something more powerful than an Olympian God.**" I said, emphasising on each and every word.

The last of my words were followed by a pin drop silence and those moments of silence were the most awkward that I have ever been in. I knew I had finally screwed up and it was too late to apologise now, I should have kept my thoughts to myself.

What I thought and had deduced was something that the Council wasn't interested in. The dealt in facts and as of now I had no proof of what I had just said. The council was surely going to terminate my services after this and I'd have to spend the rest of my years either living in New Rome, Londinium or Themiscyra.

I should apologise, probably they would grant me pardon this ... "You are excused Katherine. We have much to discuss and will summon you if need be, dismissed." Percy said blankly before I could even think about apologising but I knew better than to disobey the Council more than once in a day.

I curtsied before the council before I turned my back towards them. The double doors closing behind me as I walked out of the chamber leaving the council to think upon my report and come to a conclusion probably even make an observation or draw an inference.

I had no idea how they worked but then again they were meant to lead us. Lost in my thoughts I started my descent down the tower thinking that they would figure something out.

**Percy's POV**

I sat there at the head of the council with other members of the council looking at me expectantly, "What?" I asked them surprised.

Jason sniggered, "In case you have forgotten, you lead this council therefore it is your right to preset your case first." He said with his lips curved upwards in a slight smirk.

I couldn't help but laugh at the thought and a smile quickly niche its way on my face as well.

"Order", Thalia said from beside me in a tone of authority. She still hadn't taken her seat and was now standing at the centre of the chamber glaring at Jason and I. We quickly straightened ourselves in our seats giving her our full attention even though we were ready to burst out laughing.

"Does anyone have any thoughts to share?" She said, indirectly asking each and every one of us to put our thoughts forward and I had no idea what to say. The entire scenario had left me completely perplexed.

It was very peculiar of any godly being to attack a demigod. Not that it was unheard of but who'd risk attacking the son of Hades. Even Hera would think twice because she knew Zeus won't be enough to protect her from her brother's wrath but then if it was a God then who...

"Could the Titans have risen again?" asked Jake Mason, Son of Hephaestus and Engineer-in –Chief of Fort Olympus.

"Highly unlikely" said Annabeth in her mellow voice lined with conviction.

"I believe Jake isn't wrong. After all the Titans are known to regenerate quickly and in the last war not all of them were imprisoned. Maybe one of them escaped and has regained their power." Leo cut in, coming to the defence of his half-brother.

Annabeth didn't even bother to answer. Unlike Athena, Annabeth after once stating a point never repeated it and didn't believe in unnecessarily debating on it. To her it was waste of energy.

"I agree with Annabeth." Said Reyna and Annabeth silently acknowledged Reyna's support. Reyna nodded and then continued, "Most of the Titans are too cowardly to act on their own, without Kronos and Hyperion that wouldn't dare to attack."

With those words; the entire council now blew into a full scale debate cum discussion.

I'd have to give it to Reyna and Annabeth, they were right.

The only Titans capable of leading an attack were Kronos and Hyperion.

There was a time when Lapetus too would have been a cause for concern but in recent times he was busy figuring his way out of the underworld, his memories washed clean in the waters of the Lethe.

I leant back into my chair, trying to think of something that fit but as far as I knew no one except Gaea or the Titans held the power to being down Nico. A god wouldn't dare to and a monster simply couldn't.

This thing had to be an out worldly monstrosity to attack Nico Di Angelo and get away as well. No, there was more to it that met the eye and we'd have to get to the end of this before we are too late.

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><p><strong>Rate and Review.<strong>


	10. Track, Hunt and Execute

**Track, Hunt and Execute**

There are some people who drink alcohol like fish and are able to walk straight on a centimetre wide line and then there are those like me who'll walk everywhere except that line.

For some weird reason liquor was not agreeable to my stomach and every time I had alcohol I'd be in for one hell of a night and today just happened to be one such night and that to on a cold one. I shouldn't have started on that second bottle of JD but then what were we to do for the cold; it wasn't that we weren't supplied with armour that kept us heated during the intense cold but alcohol had its own charm even though we ended up flat on our backs knocked out into oblivion.

From the half filled tumbler in my hand I took another long draught. Swirling the foul tasting, bitter amber liquid in my mouth I took my time swallowing it. I never drank alcohol I almost always gulped it down.

"You seriously don't like alcohol, don't you Aaron" Nick asked from beside me, his glass already empty and his hand reaching out for the bottle to pour himself another large while I still sat on my firs t peg.

I scrunched my eyebrows and nodded in defeat and with what I knew was an expression of disgust emptied the contents of my glass into his.

He laughed at me, not to make fun I'm sure but just on the situation. It so happened that Nick had a high tolerance for alcohol along with a keen taste for it. I wouldn't blame him for it, he hasn't had the best of childhood but then nor have I.

Maybe everyone leans on different things for support, maybe Alcohol provided Nick with the happy place he wanted to be.

My thoughts lingering on what he had told me about his past, I studied him carefully.

Nick wasn't your average Sentinel, for one he wasn't well built. He was thin and scrawny, looked malnourished in the standard armour thus the need for a custom well fitted armour which wasn't too heavy for him to fight in.

Less athletic and hyper active than other demigods, patience was his true virtue. Then the way he looked, unlike most of us who although in our late teens looked like mature men; Nick had managed to retain that boyish charm of his.

With his round face, dark hair with natural blonde highlights he looked like any other teenage guy in his senior year. The rigorous and inhumane demigod training had not taken away the innocence from him, innocence that was evident in his smile.

Never would one expect a kid like him to be from what I had guessed an Alcoholic.

It was true that Nick relied on alcohol to keep his memories under the threshold and maintain a level of peace in his mind. Many a times I had thought of helping him out of his habit and every time I had tried my efforts ended in vain, he was too far gone to be brought back.

"Come on, Nick. Make that your last. We have watch duty tonight." I said trying to sound reasonable because I knew there was no other way he'd listen and too my surprise it worked. He threw away rest of the contents of the glass and put the bottle in utility pack.

I turned to look at the forest ahead of me. We were stationed at the top of a cliff overlooking a vast forest of conifers in the extremely cold Canadian Northern Frontier.

The Hunters of Artemis had passed information to us on the growing numbers of Empousa in the northern territories. The information after much debate by the council had then been given to us. Our mission was to carry out an extermination of each and every Empousa that we came across but till now we hadn't come across any.

I took out my field-glasses, V-Bionics as they were called and slipped them on over my eyes. These bionics could see through the mist and were multipurpose in use, they could detect changes in aura, heat signatures, geographical changes, power aura and could also help in determine the power stats of the enemy namely strength, agility and speed by taking into accounts several physical and biological characteristics. A tool designed by Hephaestus himself, it had turned out to be more useful than anything else in recent times.

I changed the mode of my bionics to heat sensing and scanned the forest cover. No spike in the heat signature except that of the occasional moose or elk, nothing in the range of an Empousa's heat signature.

I sighed wearily, disappointed at the lack of action. "Here take my bionics and keep a lookout" I said getting up and holding out the bionics for Nick to take them off my hand.

He nodded and took them from me.

I picked up my sword from where it was leaning against the trunk of the tree where we had set up the lookout. It was a perfect spot providing shade from the sun in the day, cover from the rain, wind and snow, hidden from below and the surrounding cliffs by a thicket of bushes among which we had hid over the last few days.

"Nice hideout. Did you bring your girlfriends here?" came a sickly sweet voice from the tree top. I craned my head to see the familiar figure of Erida, Daughter of Discordia and a Sentinel Executioner.

The Sentinels was a prime organization within Fort Olympus. The members of the Sentinels were either given individual assignment and were rarely assigned in group unless there was a large mess or a powerful monster to be dealt with.

Unlike Cohorts there were no ranks in the Sentinels; however there were several fields each sentinel specialised in. An Executioner for example was sent out to kill, specifically to kill and nothing else. When the Council wanted something dead it sent out an executioner or in our case a group of executioners to destroy the band of Empousa.

"You actually think he's even dated anyone" said another merry voice, laughing in mirth.

Another snide remark and from none other than Alexander Bledsoe, Son of Eris the Greek form of Discordia, from behind the tree he walked out dressed in black armour with a golden apple on the left hand side of his breastplate.

His bracers and greaves were a steel gray in colour and he carried his helmet in hand, black like the Helm of darkness with a golden plume. On his waist instead of a sword or a dagger was a handgun snuggled in its leather holster.

Alex was a Tracker, it was his job to find a monster and track it down leaving it to the executioners and hunters to kill it but until now he had been unsuccessful in finding even a single Empousa.

"Gently Alex" said Erida, jumping of the branch on which she had been sitting till now landing in a crouch beside me. She then stood to her full height and looked straight into my eyes.

"Do tell me Alex. Did you bring your girlfriend here?" she purred.

"I don't kiss and tell." I said with a wry smile and headed off to patrol the area leaving behind a fuming Erida and guffawing Alex with a not to drunken Nick on the lookout for danger.

I climbed down the cliff, rather jumped off it. Not all the way down, even I can't survive a fifty feet drop. Correction, I can survive it but not without injury. I jumped from ledge to ledge and finally reached the snow covered forest floor.

The first snow had come earlier than expected in this region but then who was I to fight nature and its ways.

I put on the extra pair of V-Bionics and scanned the nearby area for any movement. With nothing on the monitor I decided to go for a little walk, probably might encounter something and so I aimlessly started walking through the forest.

Alert as much as I could be, I kept my guard up making sure that I wasn't sneaked upon because that's the worst that can happen to any demigod and it always ends badly. So I continued on my trek through the forest, sword in hand and dagger at the ready I made my way through the thickets occasionally coming across a herd of elk or a lonely moose, even a pack of wolves once but then again wolves were the last of my worry.

I must have walked for hours and it was close to dawn before I thought I should head back. With one last look around the lake, looking for evidence that assure the presence of Empousa in the area I started on my way back to camp empty handed.

As I traversed through the forest to the cliff top hide out I felt as I was followed. It was true that for quite a while the pack of wolves that I had come across last night had tailed me but now I felt as if I was being hunted rather than tracked.

I decided to move fast. The faster that I got to the others the better it'd be for me after all I didn't wish to end up as a pile of bones in an Empousa's nest and without wasting another moment I built up speed.

To anyone else I'd appear to be gliding across the forest floor but I knew that I was barely walking and I had still not been able to shake off my hunter. There was no other way, I had to run for it and within a flash I bolted.

Being a son of Hermes had their advantages; one was tremendous amount of speed and agility, the other being an excellent shot. When I felt I had put enough distance between me and my stalker, I whirled on the spot and sprang in the air.

Daggers in my hand I threw them towards the blurry black shadow that had been following me ever since but I didn't waste any time to see if I had hit a bulls eye with another burst of speed I sprinted to the cliff sending a flash of greek fire in the air, lighting the navy twilight sky with an emerald green luminescence.

Within seconds of the flash I heard the sound of a conch horn, I jumped on top of the tree,. Perched on its highest branch, sword in hand I scanned the tree tops.

I kept my guard up so as not to be caught unawares luckily I didn't have to for far too long as from a distance I saw two of my associates jump down from the cliff to my aid, no doubt blowing our cover in the process but it wasn't all their fault they had done so for me.

I descended from the large conifer and headed in their general direction. After searching for a few minutes I found the two of them.

In front was a boy no older than sixteen with dirty blonde hair and tanned skin, a grave expression on his face instead of the dumb smile that always played on his lips. Zac Jones, Son of Poseidon there were quite a few of them these days.

Not far behind him, struggling to keep up was Laura Lacour, Daughter of Athena, her chocolate brown hair tied in a long braid. She wore a slim fit Hunter's Armour. Dressed in black robes like that of my pursuer, she looked frazzled, not used to running in such terrain.

"What happened to you?" Zac asked stowing his sword in its sheath, his shield still on his arm.

"I have no fucking idea." I said, gasping for air. Whatever the dark shadow was, it was no doubt a great tracker and I knew that I hadn't quite injured it with my daggers.

"Did the Empousa pounce on you?" Laura asked. I shook my head, breathing deeply.

"Then what" She asked exasperated, looking for answers and not getting any.

"Do you mean to say that we blew our cover for nothing?" She said her face contorting with anger.

"LAURA!"

We looked behind us to find Erida, Alex and Nick. Nick and Alex, both were carrying knapsacks and utility bags. Erida on the other hand was now wearing her full battle armour. It was similar to Alex's, fitting black armour with Eris' crest on the breastplate except her armour had a molten gold flowing cloak with a hood attached to it.

Erida looked angry, with her sword drawn and a no nonsense taken look on her face she ordered us to get our own utility kits and then make way to Fort Olympus.

"But why" asked Zac from beside me.

"Because there are no Empousa here, they seem to have migrated somewhere else." She said clearly pissed off at the fact that someone had questioned her orders.

"I'm sure we'll find some proof that they were here. We need time." Cut in Laura only to be met with a deathly glare.

She glared at the three of us, "We have been here for over three days and during our patrols haven't found a single thing. We shouldn't waste anymore time. Moreover tonight is the Autumn Equinox and we have been reassigned to relieve the Sentinels at Londinium. From here on they'll be taking this case forward." And with that she turned her back towards us and took out a small golden orb from her utility belt.

She threw it on the ground and in a burst of blinding light, disappeared, no doubt to Fort Olympus.

Alex followed her actions and disappeared as well.

Nick looked apologetically at me and took out his orb as well.

"I'll see you there". I said. With one last nod he too disappeared leaving behind Zac, Laura and Me.

"What should we do?" asked Zac.

With a hard look on my face staring at the ground where Erida had stood moments before I said "We follow orders" and with that we headed to the cliff top to retrieve our belongings and then made our way to Fort Olympus, where we knew another mission and assignment waited for us...

_In the shadows of the snow covered conifer forest stood a figure robed in black. From a far distance he saw the six warriors mutually opposed against each other._

Are these the prestigious warriors who he had heard so much about? Their reputation did precede them, maybe they learnt from their mistakes or maybe not all of them charged at the enemy head on.

There was still much to learn about these **demigods **and time was running out. He'd have to do with what he could learn from his new friends and it was time he paid them another visit.

_With a smirk on the face the man in the shadows disappeared into a swirling cloud of darkness. It wouldn't be long now. Not long at all._


	11. Water Fight

**Water Fights**

Kale's POV

All those born to the sea were cursed with its temperament, all except me but then I was the odd ball of my family at least that's what my father had said to me once. I still don't know if he meant it as a compliment but when I look at my siblings I take pride in the fact that my actions aren't controlled by my emotions or should I say now they aren't.

I looked out to the open sea. Soon I'd be on the mainland. How I loved the sea.

Its vastness, its purity, the lack of borders and dominion; the sea was a symbol of unification. Unification was something that we demigods understood well or did we? I had always doubted myself when the topic of unification was brought up.

I sighed, breathing in the salty sea air. It'd be the last time I do so as I wouldn't be sailing for quite a while now. I stood at the ship's helm, steering it to the open port of Fort Olympus where it shall be anchored till I'm given permission to set sail again.

My crew composed of my fellow cohort members who I also led into battle and although I was their Commander they all referred to me as Captain; Captain Kale Elmwood, Son of Poseidon and Commander of the Scarlet Viper Cohort.

I had been sailing for the last seven months from one corner of the world to another. What can I say? I had seen it all, from the Pyramids of Giza to the Stonehenge in Wiltshire. I had trekked through the Himalayas to Tibet and from there on to the Gobi desert and later Siberia. Yes, I had seen the wilderness and the last remains of the ancient civilizations of the East.

Along my journeys in the East I had learnt that although they believed in different gods and had different faiths they all believed in the same source of power. The power that had given life to not only them but the nature around them but they had no name for it.

While in the East I had also broadened my scope to look at things differently. When I had been assigned there I had taken it as punishment but the last seven months had been a life changing experience. I was no longer the short-tempered, judgemental and impatient screw up. Well I can't say I wasn't jealous, after all some envy is natural and is necessary in one way or another but then again I had changed in several ways.

I could say that I was proud of myself.

As I steered the ship towards mainland, I could see twilight give way to a new day.

The sun had begun to rise across the horizon and I could already see land, land that I called home.

At first light my crew came out on deck and started on their chores. They were preparing the ship for anchorage on the pier at Fort Olympus. They all wore the same uniform, a fitting white linothorax with blue denims teamed with combat boots.

It had been quite some time that I had met my siblings. I guess I saw them last almost a year ago when I was first sent to City of Junex, for its protection from a rogue band of dracanae, serpentile creatures that walked on two legs, spit acidic venom and had sharp three inch talons on their hands. Interesting creatures but I just had fun killing them.

"Land Ahoy" One of my crew shouted from the brow of the ship. Handing over the helm to my First mate and Quarter Guard Jenn Ambers, Daughter of Trivia I went down on the deck to prepare for the landing.

Within the next half hour we docked at Fort Olympus's pier, with anchors down my crew began to take their equipment from the ship to the bunker at the base of the light house. As the last of them removed their belongings, supplies and weapons from the ship I too with one look around got off and directly made my way to Poseidon's temple in the City complex of Fort Olympus.

Fort Olympus was just a name. It was actually a central city where demigods from around the world came and lived a peaceful life and had been doing so for the past five years.

Fort Olympus was primarily built to serve as the military headquarters of the demigod forces of Olympus but over time many of the demigods made Fort Olympus their home which gave rise to the need for a housing complex and with the establishment of a housing complex came a well planned city.

The Central City currently housed over a thousand demigods and legacies. The city had been designed by Annabeth Chase, Daughter of Athena, Architect of Olympus and Chief Battle Strategist of The Sentinels.

It had taken about three years to build the city and develop the fortifications around it. Built with marble, sandstone and in different shades of granite, the city was a confluence of Greek and Roman architecture.

Walking through the crowded streets I made my way to the Eastern wall of the city. After a few turns along the winding alleyways I saw myself staring at a large fountain with the figure of Poseidon, a trident in his hand resting at the centre. Behind the fountain lay the entrance to his sacred temple which housed the Garden of the Indigo pools.

Annabeth would never admit it but she had built the Garden as a tribute to my father as she held immense respect for him, not that she ever showed it. How could she? She was after all, a daughter of Athena.

I marvelled at the magnificent temple built with marble with a gleaming copper roof and parapets made of sandstone, carefully carved to recite the tales that involved the demigod children of Poseidon. Taking in the magnificence of the intricately carved panels I ascended the stairs and walked through the silver doors.

The interior of the temple was dimly lit and one could hardly make out the panelling and carvings on the walls. At the far end of the door was a statue of my father, Poseidon, God of the Seas, Earthshaker, Stormbringer and Father of horses. The statue was a complete replica of him. Even from afar I could see the glint of his eyes, emeralds no doubt to substitute for the sea green colour of his eyes.

His statue was situated at the centre of a pool which was glowing with an eerie indigo colour, thus the name. The indigo light came from the bottom of the pool and only few people except for Annabeth were aware of the true nature of the source that provided such an illumination. However it was rumoured to be the crown stone that was taken from Oceanus upon his defeat during the first Titanomachy but I put the thought aside as I decided to do what I had come here for and without wasting another moment I took of my breastplate and my linothorax and stepped into the deep pool.

Once I was at the centre of it right above the source of the indigo illumination, I closed my eyes and prayed to my father. Thanking him for his help on my quests and his wisdom when I was in desperate need for it. I don't know how much time I spent there but those were moments of peace and by the time I came out of the pool and put my armour back on I felt completely rejuvenated and ready for my next mission.

"I see you are in father's good graces." said a high voice. I looked around to see who was there but my sight failed me nonetheless I knew who the voice belonged to. "So would you be sister if you returned his kindness with respect." I said mockingly what I didn't know was soon I'd be at the receiving end of a huntress' anger.

The water in the pool swirled and the light at the bottom faded out. I felt a familiar tug I my gut but it was too late I was no match for her power. The swirling water then rose from the pool and became a swirling column of water, a hydro twister some called it; very difficult to create and extremely difficult to overcome.

I breathed deeply and felt the familiar tug I my gut once again. I might not be able to control the water around me but I could shield myself against it and with that thought my body glowed with a bluish-green hue. With my sword in hand I was ready for the challenge that had been offered to me. Today my father would see the wrath his children could unleash upon each other.

I extended my senses to feel the presence of my opponent but I couldn't. She had hidden herself well and had probably been planning this all along. I tried to sense her presence but that happened to be my biggest mistake. I had been distracted for less than a moment and that was enough time for her to unleash her wrath on me.

I a flash the swirling mounds of water broke into a gigantic Tsunami throwing me off my feet and outside the doors of my father's temple but it didn't come to rest. The water soon engulfed me again, this time swirling around me. Drained off my strength while trying to shield myself, I felt trapped gasping for air.

I was taken aback, no, shocked beyond thought. I, a son of Poseidon should have been able to breathe even in water but my thoughts were left incomplete as I fought for breath. With each passing moment I felt as if I was fighting to survive, each moment turning out to be longer than the other.

Trying to grasp at my thread of life, I saw Death himself staring right into my eye or was it death?

No, the face I saw was familiar to me. Bottle green eyes bore into my deep sea green, with a smile playing on her rose bud lips she ran a hand through her dark ebony hair and then with a flick of her hand released me from the jaws of what could have been my watery death.

I fell face forwards onto the ground in a puddle of water. Coughing and spluttering, gasping for air, heaving deeply and later emptying the contents of my previous supper on the ground before me.

After I gained some stability I tried to get up but landed face first in my own vomit.

Tired and out of strength, I was unable to move and overcome my sorry state of affairs. However my senses had yet not abandoned me and I heard a pair of footsteps walk towards me and I then heard the figure crouch beside me, it was undoubtedly her.

She ran a hand through my hair and softly whispered, "Next time don't try to be cheeky with me. I might bear one of you to have a station above me but I wouldn't let anyone else show me up." And with that she grabbed my head from my hair and pulled me off the ground and stared into my face, "Get it" she asked threateningly.

I knew I didn't have a choice and simply nodded only to be released in my own muck.

Maybe it was exhaustion but I simply couldn't keep my eyes open anymore and drifted off into a world of darkness but there was no peace to be as in the far distance I heard the echo of a rambunctious laughter and for no reason it sent a chill down my spine spinning me into unconsciousness.

With a smug smile and a feeling of contentment I left the so called demigod warrior in a heap outside our father's temple amidst a flurry of onlookers all of whom seemed to have enjoyed the sibling rivalry and the resultant fight.

I didn't feel remorse on what I had done. On the contrary I had immensely enjoyed it, especially the moment when his life aura had almost faded.

Yes, that was the kind of power I was looking for and I indeed had it within me.

With my hand on the hilt of my sword I walked through the parting crowd of the demigods that had been surrounding my brother and I while we indulged in our little squabble and competition for respect. Unfortunately, he had to learn it the hard way but no matter at least I earned it in the very end and with that thought a smile returned to my lips and with one last look at the now unconscious body I made my way to the Sentinel Tower, to meet with my other siblings.

Who am I you may ask?

It's surprising you don't already know. I'm Delilah Rosemary, Eldest living child of Poseidon, Heir to Aquatica and Former Captain of Artemis' Hunters.


	12. Right to Lead

**Right to Lead**

There are two ways of obtaining power. One, you are born with it and two, you earn it. I am one of the lucky few to have been born with it but on the downside I have never been able to assert it because I hadn't earned my power. So what's the use of power if you can't assert it? Well, for a demigod there are more uses than one can even think about but I won't dwell on the list as it is endless and new things are added to it every other day.

Being a demigod wasn't easy and using the power that came along with being a demigod was no joke either. Earlier demigods were revered as much as the gods but now we lived a life behind a veil of invisibility that completely separated our world from that of the mortals.

I often wonder why the gods did so. Why they separated the mortals from us, from themselves? But some questions are better left unanswered.

As I walked through the stoned corridors of Sentinel Tower I thought about the years that I had spent here at fort Olympus. As a child of Zeus everyone had expected great things of me, especially my siblings Thalia and Jason Grace. Over time I had proved myself but I was yet to be praised by the High Council in a manner that my siblings had been praised.

Climbing the spiral staircase, I looked outside at the Fort that surrounded the central tower. The pier to the east, Central city that surrounded fort Olympus on all four sides, Emerald forest- the divine forest of the Hunters of Artemis and last but not the least, the Castle of Fort Olympus; built with white stone and marble, the Castle shone with a gelatinous gleam during the early morning hours.

As I climbed the last stair and found myself outside the doors of the Crystal chambers I soon saw that I wasn't alone. The Entrance hall was full of demigods, sentinels and legacies all anxiously waiting to be summoned before the council. I counted close to fifteen people in the entrance hall. Some leaning in the corners with their backs to the pillars, some sitting cross legged on the floor; meditating and yet others were chatting animatedly in groups.

Although I didn't stay around Fort Olympus much but it so happened that I knew most of the demigods in the chamber, those who recognised me nodded and smiled, greeting me and I politely returned their greeting with a short bow or a nod.

Looking around I finally saw someone who I had been keen to meet for a very long time.

She stood at the end of the chamber overlooking the wall length windows with her back towards me. She wore clouded white armour; her long midnight black hair tied in a loose braid as she normally wore them.

I silently walked towards her and went to stand right beside her as she passed instructions to who I guessed was her Second-in –Command.

"Command suits you well Astria" I sad in my deep baritone with a smile on my face. She turned on the spot to look at me, her electric blue eyes sparkling with excitement and happiness. It had been a long time since I had met my sister and without wasting another moment, she lunged at me almost knocking me to the floor, her arms around me in a tight hug.

"You are such an arse. Where have you been Talen? You haven't spoken or IMed to me in ages." She said with a tight grip around me. She didn't care that other demigods in the room had left their conversations and staring at us, No, the only thing she cared about me was me and I guess I was happy about it as she was the only family I was left with now.

She continued to rant for the next few minutes and I stood there looking at her as if there was no tomorrow. We weren't related by blood, Astria and I but we some bonds were stronger than that of blood. As she continued to rant and complain, occasionally punching me on the arm I noticed that the Silver doors to the Council Chamber creaked open.

Quickly the demigods and sentinels fell into line and filed into the chamber.

When the last of us walked into the chamber the doors closed behind us and our group of about twenty five people arranged ourselves into two distinct columns. One comprising of the Sentinels and the other of Demigod warriors, the latter outnumbering the former by a ratio of two is to one.

I quickly surveyed the room, looking for council members I knew personally. I saw Jason Grace, my half brother sitting near the head of the circle while his sister Thalia Grace sat at the head of the Council with Perseus. The seat to Thalia's left was unoccupied, which I personally thought was strange as Nico never missed a meeting.

"He's in the infirmary." Astria whispered in my ear picking up on my curiosity regarding Nico's empty throne. If I was surprised I must have done well not to show it as Astria didn't pass anymore information to me from there on and she couldn't have as the Council at that very moment demanded our attention.

We all bowed deeply to the council and its members. Although most of the members were only about a decade older than us and didn't ask for us to bow before them it was seen as a mark of respect and gratitude that we had for the esteemed heroes and warriors that had guided us over the years, providing a home and family to vagabonds like us.

"Rise, warriors of Olympus and Sentinels of the Fort." Thalia spoke in a loud and clear voice.

In one swift move the half dozen warriors came to stand on their feet in full attention, hands on their weapons as a mark of Salute.

"At ease." Perseus said standing from his throne and coming to stand before us leaving Thalia and the other councillors seated.

With a genuine smile on his face he greeted us like equals, his sea green eyes gleaming with happiness when he found Astria and I in the gathering of warriors. Standing amongst us and after sharing a glance with each and every member present in the chamber he opened his mouth to speak.

"You might wonder why we have asked for a mass gathering of all our best warriors and Sentinels" he asked questioningly, a smile forming on his lips. "Why we have called forth bitter competitors and aggressive rivals together? What could be the need for such a gathering, have any of you thought about it?" He asked all of us.

Most of the assembled warriors along with me simply nodded and shared glances with those beside them.

"Well then, we won't keep you waiting." said a high cold voice from our right. Some turned around to see who had spoken but there were those like me, who closed their eyes and silently cursed abut hearing her voice; Reyna, Daughter of Belladonna and Army commander of the Legion of Legacy and the five cohorts that formed it.

She walked swiftly and came to stand beside Perseus, her hounds at her heels.

With a quick glance at Perseus she stepped forward eyeing each of us carefully as if making a decision regarding all of us individually and then moved back to the central stage so that she could look at all of us.

"As some of you might know, a Grand Council is being hosted at Mt. Olympus..." even before she completed the sentence all the warriors broke out into silent whispers shocked at the prospect of a Grand Council being held at the Autumn Equinox.

Asserting her words and speaking in her voice of authority Reyna managed to silence us all, not with her voice but one deathly stare as if she would run us through with her sword if we even uttered a single word.

"Now as you may all know the Grand Council includes not only the Olympians but also all the minor gods and immortal personifications." She paused for a moment and then continued, "This time however, leaders of nature spirits and the monarchs of several communities hidden by the mist have also been invited. The Council of Fort Olympus will also be attending this Grand Council along with select few warriors."

At this the crowd of warriors who had been disciplined till now again broke into whispering.

Reyna drew her sword, annoyed with the constant show of lack of discipline which in itself silenced all the assembled demigods.

"As I was saying, some of the demigods will be attending the Grand council with us. As I call out your name please come and stand to my right." She said in a seething voice and from her dark violet cloak she took out a piece of parchment and began reading out the names.

"James Lowell- Cohort Commander of Thundering Pegasi step forward." She said scanning the parchment.

I looked around me to see James. I hadn't seen him in a long time, over a year perhaps. I didn't even know that he had made it to commander. As I looked around I saw him coming forth from behind the group, lowering the hood of his dark brown cloak to reveal a haunted face with sunken eyes and unkempt long dark blonde hair.

Nevertheless he walked forward with the pride of a cohort commander and silently took his place behind Reyna, looking down at the floor.

I wondered what had happened to him to make him like this. Last time around he had been a jovial person to be with, true that he was a little shy and kept to himself but when you got to know him he was good company.

"Erida Psyche, Sentinel" Reyna continued in her commanding voice.

I turned once again to look at the assembled Sentinels. From the front row, a tall lithe woman marched forward. All I could deduce was that she had some _airs _about herself, especially the way he carried herself.

Turning my gaze back to Reyna she read three other names from the Parchment, "Alec Blackwood, Commander of the Dealers of Death, Zac Jones another Sentinel and Alice Marie Forman a Healer." She rolled the parchment and gesturing the five demigods to stand together, separate from the rest of us.

As soon as Reyna took her seat, Annabeth Chase, Daughter of Athena came forward to address us.

"As Reyna mentioned that the members of this council will be attending the Grand Council to be held on the Autumn Equinox, which happens to be tomorrow. But there is something else that we'd like to confess to the rest of you..." she said the last few words hesitantly.

Gazing at all of us with concern she continued, "A dark shadow has fallen upon us."

Most of the demigods in the room gasped, I could see many of them shift on their spots. Others tightened their fists and some clenched their jaws. Even Astria next to me tightened her grasp on the hilt of her sword.

I suddenly felt out of place. What was it that I didn't know? Was there any monster I didn't know of? I shook my head, giving my full attention to what Annabeth had to say.

"Over the last few days a new enemy of the demigods has arisen. An enemy that lurks in the shadow and attacks with stealth and poise." She said as if commending the enemy's abilities over ours "I don't intend to frighten any of you... just make you aware that the demigods for the first time in many years have been challenged by a very strong enemy." She said undeterred by the unnerved demigods.

She continued to stand there on the stage at the centre of the chamber. I looked at Perseus and Thalia sitting behind Annabeth involved in a heated conversation which ended when Percy banged his fist on the throne and stood up to join Annabeth at the centre stage.

Without wasting another moment he came and stood before Annabeth and opened his mouth to speak, "What we are trying to tell you is that over the next few days most of the council members will be away." That one sentence was enough to make me nervous.

If the council members of the order of Sentinels were going after a monster then the matter was extremely serious but my train of thoughts was ended by Percy's voice, "We need to bring down the monster that has killed our comrades and injured several of them, including Councillor Nico Di Angelo." He said his voice venomous.

Now I knew why Nico wasn't present for this meeting but what really shook me, was the fact that someone had put Nico on a hospital bed. I could understand why they were so hell bent on finding this monster. I mean why wouldn't they ... but again my thoughts were interrupted this time by Thalia, my half-sister.

"And this is why we have gathered you here." She said walking towards the stage to join Annabeth and Perseus. Dressed in white and silver robes, Thalia wore light armour along with her bracers. Her spear reduced to a cylinder, which she had clipped to her waist.

"Some of you will be taking our place and acting as our proxies while we hunt for the monster that has been so effortlessly killing demigods and posing to be a threat to our survival." With one last look at us she raised her hands, "Some of you will be tasked to act as proxy council members while the others will take our place as Councillors. Those who have been chosen as councillors are:"

She looked towards me, a faint smile tugging on her lips, "Talen Berraz, Son of Zeus and Commander of the Swirling Storm Cohort." I didn't know what to do or say but my name was soon followed by another, a name that I never wanted to hear in my entire life, "Delilah, Daughter of Poseidon and Heir to Aquatica."

I didn't even turn to see Delilah. I had suffered enough on her behalf. Not to mention suffer my father's anger. I stood there waiting for the other names while I simultaneously thought of the power and _responsibility _that came along with being a Councillor.

"Malcolm, Son of Athena shall take Annabeth's seat on the council" I heard Percy say and from the corner of my eye I saw Malcolm smile with pride, beaming at his sister. Some things could only be handled by a child of Athena I guess.

They took their time to announce other council members and I was joined by Aaron Madonna, Erida Psyche and Alyssa Lacour. All of them had been Sentinels for long and specialised in their own fields as sentinels. On the Warrior side I was joined by Tzefira Landon, the Quarter guard of the thundering Pegasi and Maritime Tortelle another Daughter of Poseidon and Cohort commander of the Sea Storm Cohort. Maritime had been summoned from her post in Londinium we were informed.

Also to join us was James Steele, a son of Thanatos and the Second in command of Dealers of Death. Now that was someone to look out for.

Till now they had selected four councillors which left space for four more but my question was immediately answered and none other than the Councillor I detested the most.

"While you eight have been selected as Council members that doesn't mean that there will be no former Councillors present." Said Reyna, clearly behaving as the dominating leader she always was but she wasn't done yet, " I along with Jake Masen, Michael Yew and Chris Rodriguez will preside over this council. If anyone has objections, they are free to challenge me in the arena." She said drawing her sword, three feet of tempered imperial gold carrying the poison of the Chimera in its core.

I sighed. No one was stupid enough to take on the Daughter of Belladonna and it seemed that's where I was wrong when a voice from my left spoke up, "Challenge accepted".

Her crystal clear voice rang bells in my mind and for the first time in over a year I turned to see the divine form of one daughter of Poseidon. Her dark ebony hair falling in waves down her back and her mesmerising sea green eyes shone like emeralds with a latent fire.

Donned in robes of various hues of blue, I knew beneath them she wore her armour with multiple daggers hidden in the various folds; clasped to her body. I was right as from within the folds of her robes she drew her sword.

A short blade that gleamed with colours of the ocean, its hilt crested with an aquamarine.

As Delilah stepped forward so did Reyna, swords in hand and with their guard up they began circling each other, each giving the other a deathly stare not giving a thought to the fact that several demigods; warriors, sentinels and councillors were witnessing what many people would have called a cat fight to death.

A/N: sorry for the long wait. I have been a little busy as a Beta and didn't get enough time to update my own story. On a happier note I think this is my longest chapter in this series as yet. And I think I myself might need a beta, if I want to post more often. Anyone interested to do so can apply.

**I would appreciate any reviews and comments. Especially on the direction the story is taking. There will be more action and drama in the coming chapters. Sit tight.**


	13. Heir Apparent

**Howling of the Hounds**

I woke up to the sound of howling and not just any howling, to the howling of hell hounds. What was strange you may ask? Well the fact that hell hounds didn't howl, not under normal circumstances in the least. They only howled on the death of a member of their pack or that of their master, if you ask me the former was more likely than the latter as the only two people to have ever tamed a hell hound was my father, Hades, Lord of the Underworld and the great Deadelus himself.

I got up from my bunk only to see the sleeping form of other demigod warriors with whom I shared my barracks; most of them were younger than me and fresh into their teenage years. They were neither as experienced nor as strong as I was. I didn't bother to switch on the lamp on my bedside, No, I could see well enough in the dark just as I could see in light.

I searched for my jacket at the foot of my bed and then grabbed my dagger from the table beside my bunk. I thought of slipping on my breastplate and linothorax as a precaution but then decided against it and only slipped on my linothorax; it should give me the standard protection from any attacks and prevent damage from any minor slashes and thrusts. I clipped my dagger to my belt and left the barracks silently without making the slightest noise.

As I slipped outside the Barracks I realised how cold it was, odd, the weather around the Fort and its borders forever remained temperate but this wasn't anything close to it. It was downright cold, similar to stepping outside your home naked in the middle f a blizzard minus the gale force winds. I pulled my jacket closer and zipped, thoughtful of me to slip it on. What the hell was I thinking? But that's when I heard another ear piercing howl, the sound of it magnified by the cold, making it echo in my ears.

I walked along the corridors of the Soldier's barracks and into the front courtyard of the Fort where the troops assembled every morning. In the morning hours the front courtyard was normally bustling with demigods training with their cohort mates, sometimes learning how to spar and other times practicing archery in galleys or learning the essentials of close combat in the pits. However, at night the courtyard saw neither demigod nor any other living being except for a few scattered on the walls, doing their night patrols and other guards in the Guard tower waiting to relieve the soldiers on watch.

Why hadn't they already investigated the howling and put a stop to it? I couldn't understand how they could take it so calmly when I, a Son of Hades couldn't.

I decided to check on the guard commander and made my way to the stone tower on the north east corner of the fortification, As I walked across the courtyard I couldn't help but think that something eerie was about to come our way, something for which we weren't prepared.

I wasn't the one to believe in omens but I just couldn't help it. The howling of the hounds, the chill in the air and the mist rolling down from the hills, ask any Apollo kid and he'd tell you that something unfortunate was about to happen.

As I approached the imposing stone tower, I wondered which cohort's duty was it this month to guard the Fort. My cohort had done it two months ago for the month of April, if my calculations were right...

"Halt! Who goes there?" asked one of the soldiers guarding the entrance to the tower unsheathing his sword and raising his shield. The other two standing guard at the entrance of the Tower crossed their spears to block my way if I didn't come up with the proper verification.

I raised my right hand and showed him the single band platinum ring on my forefinger verifying my status in the ranks and authority. The demigod no more than fourteen bowed to me and gestured at the other two standing guard over the entrance to the tower to let me pass through.

The Guards stood in attention as I walked past them; The Roman Military system was truly good for disciplining young power crazy demigods, no wonder we adopted Camp Jupiter's military system but then it wouldn't have done any good had we not applied Chiron's methods of combat and survival training. I have to admit, combining Greek and Roman skills truly proved out to be a deadly combination.

I climbed the winding stairs up to the observation deck of the tower, there was a high probability that the commanding officer would be there, but if the officer was anything like me they'd be out in the woods finding what was troubling the hell hounds.

I reached the end of the stair case and went through the arch that led to the deck above. There were only three soldiers there all youngsters between the ages of thirteen and fourteen along with another soldier who looked about a year my junior.

As I came out on to the open air deck, the floor board creaked which drew the attention of the soldiers towards me. "Identification" asked the Demigod closer to me in age while the others who had just glanced at me went back to their posts to observe the forests and the magical borders around the Fort.

I again lifted my right hand to prove my identification. In a military system, rank is more important than name and proves to be the only source of identification that one needs to prove. The soldier as I had guessed was junior in rank and promptly stood in attention and saluted.

"At ease" I said curtly acknowledging his salute. "Profile" I asked him in a business like tone my eyes scanning the canopy of the trees and the hills beyond.

"Noah Ellis, Son of Hermes, Guard Commander and Second-in-command of the Masked Messiah Cohort." I nodded, "Report" I said in the same commanding tone.

"Guard Duty taken up on 5th of August from Sea Storm Cohort, 20 soldiers deployed on the Ramparts and parapets of the Fort along with four groups of three each patrolling the magical borders while ten soldiers remain behind at the guard tower to provide relief and another ten in barracks awaiting orders, Sir." He said.

I must admit, I'd take him to be my Second in command any day. "Current status" I asked him. "A breach was detected through the magical borders five kilometres off the western outpost at half past one. The howling started mere seconds after the breach." He said his voice quivering.

"Anything else" I asked turning towards him. "A patrol party was sent to investigate but when we didn't hear from them for quite a while the Commander decided to check out the matter herself and took four soldiers along with her to investigate the breach and to find the missing patrol party." He said out of breath and tensed. He was doing his job well till now but I guess there was too much on his mind. It wasn't wise to go and investigate a breach in the magical borders with just a handful of demigod soldiers. Anyone who had served for a few years around the Fort would know that but in the last few years that I had been in the fort I had never heard of this cohort, neither of its raising and nor did I know any of the demigods in it. I decided to confirm my suspicions.

"You are not from around here, are you?" I asked him. The Guard commander eyed me sceptically, "No Sir, we were brought in from Londinium a day before we took guard duty." He said shortly. That explained a lot, this cohort had been given guard duty without a proper briefing and it might lead to loss of lives if some powerful monster had managed to bring the shields down. I must investigate the matter myself.

I turned on the spot facing the now heavily sighing demigod soldier, "My name is Zeno Leonidas Spades, Son of Hades, Commander of Dealers of Death cohort and Captain of the Council Guard." I said in a tone of authority, one that made all four demigod soldiers stand in attention and salute. "At ease" I aid nodding to them.

I then gave my full attention to the guard commander, his emerald green eyes gleaming like Greek fire and his tousled brown hair peeking from under the helmet. He looked athletic even after donning the bulky hoplite armour, must have some strength and agility to behold in one to one combat, must challenge him to a spar someday I thought to myself.

"Noah Ellis, right?" I inquired of him too which he curtly nodded and without another thought as if he was my own second in command I began to rant orders, "Go to the barracks adjacent to the pier on the lake. There you'll find a barrack at the entry of which is a symbol of two crossed swords and the Helm of Darkness, that's the barracks of the Dealers of Death." He nodded absorbing each order I gave him.

"I want you to wake up my second in command, James Steele, Son of Thanatos" He shuddered at the name of Thanatos but why won't he; Thanatos after all did deal in death. He wasn't one of the most popular gods he did figure in one of the most dreaded though, but so was Hades until he helped overthrow the Titans and Gaea.

"Yes sir" he said regaining his composure, "Good. I want you to wake him up and tell him to follow my trail garbed in full armour with the senior five of the cohort." I said waving him off and making my way down from the observation deck and on the parapet two stories down. I then saw him off running towards the general direction of my barracks and with a last glance I jumped over the wall and into the forest that surrounded the Fort.

Landing on my haunches, I quickly stood up and sped away to the west where the breach had been made. Running through the forest, I couldn't help but observe that the entire forest was eerily quiet except for the continuous howls of the hell hounds which I could now make out were from outside the borders, well that was one worry down.

They hadn't made it through but then why were they agitated, I questioned myself. My question was soon answered when I stumbled upon a body, well stumbled wouldn't be quite right. I fell over while running only to realise that I had found a body, most likely demigod.

I turned the body over; it was face down in the dirt. She was about fourteen years old, slightly tanned but right now looked quite pale. I picked up her petite form and laid her in a sitting position besides a tree. I put my fingers up to her nostrils to check if she was alive, she was. I was glad for that. Normally, my first priority would have been to transport the injured back to camp but right now the situation was more desperate and she seemed fine, just knocked out. From what I could tell she didn't have any fatal injuries, no external blood loss, her breathing was fine and so was her pulse. I decided to send a flare up, by now James would be awake and the Guard Tower would see the flare to inform James of anything new before he starts to follow my trail.

I pulled out a crystal ball, with Greek fire burning bright in it and smashed it on the ground to release the flare, blinding myself in the process. When I regained my sight I could see the flame from the flare dissipate into the night, thinking I had done my bit I picked up on the trail to follow the other members of the search party and from what I could make out they were all light footed and very quick as the trail was very hard to follow but I too had been a tracker for too long a time and was known to find the most alluring of people.

I continued through the thicket, the mist and fog obstructing my way and proving to be a hindrance in following the trail but it wasn't long before I figured out that I was on the right track as I heard a scream of agony from a few hundred metres ahead of me.

There was nothing else to do, with the last ounce of strength left in me, I called upon the shadows around me to take me as their host and before I knew it a hill surrounded me, a chill that not only made me shiver but also send shivers down my spine and goose bumps appear all over my body. I had never experienced such shadow travel before but what was strange was that as my entire body shivered from the chill of shadow travel my right hand burned as if on fire.

I couldn't help but scream in agony and it wasn't long before the shivers ended but the burning of my hand didn't subside. I looked around myself and saw that I had landed right in the middle f a battle scene. It was too hard to make out anything as I was suffering from the temporary blindness that followed shadow travel but from what I could hear it seemed that the demigod soldiers led by the Commander of the Masked Messiah's were in thick shit and needed help. Confusion, Anxiety and anger lined their thoughts.

As I regained my sighed, I could see the blur form of a figure in black, his moved like the wind and was nothing more than a blur at times as he fought the six standing soldiers all breathing deeply and trying to fend off his attacks except for one, a short petite girl with midnight black hair tied in a braid and a lithe body of a warrior. She thrust her knife where the chest of her opponent was a few mere moments ago, he moved extremely fast to avoid her but couldn't block her next thrust which she aimed at his face but cut through his arm.

Injured the 'shadow warrior' sprang up and a double edged stygian sword materialized in his hands. My eyes became wide with shock, there were only five people that currently carried a stygian sword, Council Members Nico Di Angelo and Hazel Levesque, James Steele and I. The fifth person who owned a stygian blade was the former commander of Dealers of Death but there was no way he'd come back here.

As the fiery young warrior dodged his attack he spun on the spot, releasing a shock wave that threw all other surrounding warriors on ground. There was no time to think, I reached for my dagger on the belt and it magically enlarged and took the form of a six feet long scythe. I charged at him and then at the last moment disappeared in the shadows, only to attack from another direction, too late, he too had moved and I could sense his presence, a familiar presence but who?

I apparated out of the shadows only to find him charge towards me with his sword in hand. I drew up my scythe just in time to shield myself from the coming blow, but it was of no use, the blow was strong enough to drop me to my knees, using the scythe was a bad idea and in order to get better footing I again shadow travelled this time to put distance between us.

I appeared on the edge of the clearing while he stood in the middle. I transformed my scythe into a three inch long stygian blade. The shadow warrior before me chuckled but I didn't give I a single thought other than charge towards him and thrust the sword right down his chest. He moved out of the way but I continued the attack, swinging to the top left and then bringing the sword down to cut through him, he deflected my blow with his own sword and then whirled away from the spot but I was ready this time and slashed the smoky shadows that had begun to appear behind me.

The shadow dissipated but reformed and came from both directions, not taking any chances I sprang into the air and the cloud of shadows collided beneath me only to reform the warrior who got hold of my leg and brought me crashing down. My sword fell out of my hand, only to return to my sheath which I had forgotten in the barracks, foolish of me and before another though traversed through my mind my right hand began to burn again but this time it was more of a tingling sensation and not unpleasant in any form.

The man drew his sword on my neck and I said my last prayer, knowing that the ring would now pass on to James if this hooded figure killed me but the next few words that came out of his mouth were enough to send me in a state of shock, words I knew I'd never hear in my life especially from a person I never thought would return, "It's high time I took back the Command of Dealers of Death, wouldn't you agree?" He said in a familiar haunting voice.

I knew who this was but I wouldn't agree till I saw it from my very own eyes and as if he was reading my mind he lowered his hood to reveal the familiar face I knew. Spiked up inky black hair, haunting deep blue eyes and a smirk plastered on his square jawed face, Alec Blackwood, Son of Thanatos had reinstated his command over the Dealers of Death as a platinum band appeared on the fore finger of his right hand and I knew that James gold ring of second in command had appeared on mine clearly demoting me according to our military norms.

"You fought well. Just a little slow", He smirked at me. He drew back his sword and gave me a hand to help me up. "Why?" I asked him taking his hand and getting up on my own two feet. He turned his back to me. I knew he was laughing but I was in the mood for some answers.

I was about to repeat my question when he cut in, "I hope you have backup coming because we have a lot of injured demigods to carry back home" and with a wave of his hand the hounds that had continuously howled throughout the night suddenly stopped, followed by pin drop silence.

The Howling of Hounds normally brought bad news and I had no idea if this was orchestrated or not. I wanted some answers but I knew I wouldn't get them tonight atleast.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** R & R


	14. Divine Intervention

**Divine** **Intervention**

**Alec's POV**

Fear leads to Pain. Pain leads to Anger. Anger leads to Suffering and Suffering leads to Death.

BULLSHIT!

It is not suffering that leads to the death of a demigod. No, it's never suffering. Most of the time a demigod dies in the line of duty, facing a monster perhaps. The rest of the time and I'm telling you this happens rarely that another demigod is responsible for the death of heir comrade. Whether by negligence or a challenge, I don't view it less than murder.

It's especially sad to see a demigod die young. I would know about it as I have lost several of my cohort initiates in battles against monsters and in some cases even rogue demigods.

I stood in the corner of the darkened council chambers, the sky above a dark gray with swirling clouds menacingly lining the sky, arching to form a tomb for the lost child of Belladonna. There she lay at the centre of the grand chamber staining the spotless white marble floor a deep crimson. Bloodied and battered, she laid there unmoving her sword still clasped in her hand and her armour torn to shreds.

A silence had fallen around the room. Everyone's gaze was trained at Reyna's lifeless bloodied form. Disbelief, fear and shock etched on everyone's face, everyone except the demigod standing across the chamber from me.

He was seething with anger, his electric blue eyes alive with static. His cropped black hair spiked with the static electricity coursing through his body. With his hand tightly grasped on the hilt of his sword he took a step forward, then another.

Taking one slow step after another he finally reached Reyna and came to stand in front of her. He crouched beside her and turned her body.

A collective gasp went round the chamber at the sight of her mutilated body. The winds that swirled in the hurricane had cut through her body; she had died due to exsanguinations i.e. excessive blood loss.

The hurricane had dissipated long ago, as soon as Delilah had walked out through the double doors sheathing her sword and proclaiming her victory by summoning Reyna's hounds Aurum and Argentium to follow her which would only have happened if Reyna had died in an honorary challenge.

The hounds had left their mistress's side to take to the heels of her killer. Seething with anger, I withdrew myself to the back of the chambers and walked out from behind. I couldn't take this crap anymore.

**Jason' POV**

Was being a demigod a good thing?

That's one question that no demigod would answer truthfully.

I being a son of Zeus, the son of the King of the Gods, Heavens, Skies and Justice often found myself at crossroads when I questioned myself and the honest answer to that was 'No'.

It had never boded well with me to be trained as a soldier. I didn't want to be a demigod warrior at the beck and call of the gods. I didn't want my life to be tied to Olympian politics. I didn't want a secret life for myself. To always have to defend myself against monsters and sinister gods.

I wanted a life for myself and those I cared about, especially Piper. I had lost too much early in my life and I didn't want to lose anyone else.

It pained me now to see Reyna before me, bloodied and lifeless. I wanted to cry out in grief but I found my voice to be choked. No, she couldn't be dead. She was strong; she was the daughter of the Goddess of battle.

I stepped forward but was stopped by Piper, her hand tightly clasped at my arm. I looked into her eyes which were full of pain. Piper and Reyna could never be friends but I knew that they greatly respected each other, especially Piper. With one last look at her I removed her hand and slowly walked to my friend.

Every step that I took built the dread in me. I didn't want to lose her, she meant too much to me. My eyes pained from the strain of keeping my tears back. My jaw clenched and my hand tight around the hilt of my sword.

I crouched beside her, slowly taking my hand forward to turn her over. She had to be still breathing. She couldn't have died like this. The fates would never allow it. Slowly and with great care I turned her over.

Her luscious brown hair matted with blood, her lips slightly apart; playing on them was the ghost of her last scream. Her golden brown eyes looked vacant and hollow.

With trembling fingers I closed her eye lids when it was evident that she was no longer breathing. I sat there with her head on my lap. Her blood pooled around me staining my greaves and armour.

Why did she have to die? This was so unfair. This wasn't how it was supposed to end for her. She deserved to be happy, to be loved. This wasn't right. My thoughts kept on replaying in my mind like a continuous loop.

I looked at the people around me. Their heads bowed to honour Reyna's soul. Here they were, her comrades; offering prayers to the Gods to grant her Elysium, all of them except for one, Percy.

Percy's face gave way too much. He still hadn't learnt the art of masking his feelings. Everyone knew he wore his heart on his sleeve. The pain that I felt was clearly etched on his face. He had been bereft of a friend, an advisor and a comrade.

Reyna mean much more to Perceus and I than we would actually admit and now the irony, we would never be able to confess it to her.

The pain he was in, it was reflected by his eyes... his emerald green eyes, the eyes that belonged to the person who had killed Reyna.

I instantly saw red. My blood boiled at the thought of her. Anger coursed through my body.

I wanted to avenge Reyna, vengeance cursed through my body mixing with my blood as if becoming one with it.

I closed my eyes, breathed deeply and kept my hand.

As I breathed out I prayed, "Nemesis, Great Goddess of Retribution. Guide me to the path that I seek to avenge the death of Reyna, Daughter of Bellona." As soon as the words left my mouth I slit my palm to offer my blood as payment.

Nemesis was the goddess of balance. She'd grant my wish in return of my offering. I let the blood ooze out of the cut not making an effort to staunch it. It was my obligation to offer the blood and her to accept

The blood soon started dripping from my hand but no one made an effort to stop, no one except Piper who was held back by Thalia.

I continued to stare at Reyna and I don't know how long I did. It was only when my hand burned with a searing pain that I looked away from her.

I seethed in pain, holding my injured hand with the other. Where there had been a cut was a white scar, the blood on my hand had disappeared.

Now there was only one thing to do, Find Delilah and bring her to justice. She had become a threat to all and I won't let anything like this happen to anyone else, never again. I removed Reyna's head from my lap and stood up.

Looking down at her I said, "We need a shroud for the Daughter of Bellona." And with those words I turned on the spot to hunt for my prey my cloak billowing behind me.

**Delilah's POV**

It felt so nice to have won and that too so easily. All this time I had thought Reyna would prove to be a challenge, a daughter of Bellona and everything but she had turned out to be a weakling. Good that I put her to rest.

A smile crept on my lips at the thought that followed.

With Reyna out of my way and the other council members soon to go on a trip of their own; now was my chance to establish authority. It was now or never. No one else from the former councillors stood a chance against me, except for maybe Jake Mason.

His power was nowhere near mine but his authority was greater than mine. A veteran warrior and leader of the second Titanomachy, Jake was revered by his father, Hephaestus, God of Smith, Fire, Metallurgy etc.

It'd be difficult to undermine him but then if he becomes too much of a nuisance he'll just have to follow in Reyna's footsteps to the underworld.

And with that last thought and the smile still paying on my lips, I walked towards the city centre to amuse myself. I might even buy myself a drink from _The Drunken Satyr._

After all the occasion did call for a celebration.

I wasn't the one to daydream but then whatever I thought of I made it a point to achieve. I simply nailed everything. Building castles in the sky was becoming a hobby, this would simply not do.

As I walked to the plaza at the centre of the city I observed that the sky had grown dark, not from nightfall, No but with dark thunder clouds.

Strange, this surely wasn't the monsoon season. Nor was there any bulletin regarding a cyclone.

Averting my gaze from the darkened sky I continued on. The people around the plaza were staring at me, or were they?

I hated it when people stared at me for no rhyme or reason.

I pulled the demigod nearest to me by his collar. Looking him in the eyes I seethed, "What are you looking at?" I could feel him tremble. He was scared for his life but then he should be.

"Leave the kid alone _Elliahd_ your battle is with me" came a voice from behind me.

My eyes widened with surprise. No one knew my real name. I hadn't heard anyone call me that since I was six feet under. No, I was no longer Elliahd but I was still the same person. Just as driven and just as lethal, fashioning myself a new name from my old one was the right choice, Delilah; the perfect anagram.

I let the kid go, put a smile on my face and turned to see who had dared to take my name.

Who I saw didn't completely surprise me. I had half expected him to attack me when I was killing Reyna but I guess the shock was too severe for him to take it all at once. I gave him my sickly sweet smile.

"Jason, how are you cousin?" I said rolling the words in my mouth.

His rage was barely controllable and he did just what I expected of him. Growling like a feral lion he charged at me. I was cornered; I sensed two others coming for me from the crowd.

I jumped high up in the air to avoid Jason but wasn't prepared for more assaults. If they had planned this I must commend them for doing so at such a short notice. I avoided a couple of daggers by mere centimetres and closely missed another spear from behind.

This was the limit; with the oh-so familiar tug in my gut I summoned a Typhoon from across the sea. Gale force winds began to blow, swirling around my body as if I were the eye of the cyclone, forming a protective cocoon around my body. I sheathed my sword and focussed all my strength on my influence over the Sea. My father might not be the god of the skies but he was the Stormbringer, the title that I had inherited in recent times and from the clouds above I summoned mini twisters to the ground below to defend myself.

Most of the people ran to seek shelter, only few handful warriors seemed to remain. Anger etched on their face however they stank of fear.

I lowered myself to the ground, dissipating the wind and storm with the same ease that I had called them with.

As I touched down I saw six Roman Demigod warriors surrounding me in a loose circle with Jason and I at the centre. Weapons and armour donned they looked battle ready, no let me rephrase that; they were ready to kill.

Behind the six a dozen or more warriors stood in position and formed a secondary perimeter. I looked at the six that surrounded me, observing them from head to toe. Dull gold roman armour, scarlet capes, imperial gold swords and the insignia of an eagle with a lightning bold clutched in its talons. They were undoubtedly from Reyna's previous cohort. This had suddenly got very interesting. If killing Reyna had got me my seat on the council then I could also lay claim to the command of her cohort, so technically... I looked at my right hand. On the fore finger was a platinum band inscribed with the name of the cohort.

"Who's the second in command?" I asked in a voice of authority, staring Jason in the eye and lifting my right hand for everyone to see. The warriors surrounding us immediately put their weapons down their eyes wide in shock, some still unsettled about the transfer of power and others feigning rejection but they couldn't disobey the law that governed the rings of hierarchy. The only way to break free was abandonment or exile.

As for Jason, well I don't have any words to express the look on his face. His hatred for me, his pain at the loss of Reyna and the anger at his own helplessness gave form to a potpourri of undefined expressions on his face. I had driven him to the point of insanity and then a step further than that.

**Percy's POV**

The children of the big three had always been a cause of concern and now I knew why. I stood on a tower with Annabeth, Thalia, Michael, Jake and the Stoll twins overlooking the plaza where a battle was about to unfurl between the children of two of the most powerful gods in existence. Jason Grace, Son of Zeus and Elliahd, Daughter of Poseidon.

They began circling each other, closing the distance between them and then without any warning Jason summoned bolts of lightning from the sky, attacking Delilah at multiple spots trying to get her off balance. Delilah began to dance around the bolts of lightning which left scorch marks on the tiled floor and causing surface cracks to appear.

Jason continued to assault her with lightning and she continued to dance around them, dodging them as if she practiced everyday but with every dodge her agility decreased she was beginning to tire. She didn't show it but I knew because Thalia and I had done the very same thing at the beginning of our relationship but this was completely different.

They weren't fighting to prove their point. They were fighting to kill.

With one last attempt Jason brought down multiple bolts of lightning together. Delilah again managed to dodge one, then two, then three simultaneous bolts but the fourth one grazed her back and the fifth one hit her full on.

A blood curdling scream of pain escaped her mouth echoing her agony across Fort Olympus. The bolt of lightning unlike others didn't dissipate on making contact with her. Jason intended to electrocute her to death.

I closed my eyes. While it was true that I didn't particularly like Delilah, I simply couldn't ignore the fact that she was my _half-_sister. I sighed and without wasting another moment I jumped from the tower.

My eyes closed, I could feel the cool wind slapping across my face. The earth's gravity applying its force on my body but I knew better, I somersaulted while in air to land on my feet. I touched ground with the balls of my feet absorbing all the pressure.

Some would even call it graceful though it's nothing but practice.

With Jason still busy electrocuting Delilah I walked towards them at the pace which would ensure Delilah's life (no matter how much he suffers) and also bring a sense of relief to Jason that he was able to punish the person who killed Reyna but I knew he actually wanted her dead and I couldn't let that happen.

The warriors parted to give way to me and it wasn't long that I came to stand beside Reyna's second in command, who bowed to me and stepped two steps back. He signalled his men to do the same which they did.

Another few steps and I came to stand beside Jason.

"She deserves it you know." He said his voice lined with venom and pain, more of the latter than the former.

The next instant the bolt dissipated and Delilah fell to the ground face forward.

"You don't need to tell me what to do Perceus. I can handle myself pretty well." Jason said turning towards me examining the platinum ring on his hand. With a glance at the warrior standing behind me he walked off with the entire cohort falling in line behind him.

I looked at Delilah, lying on the ground face down just like Reyna was some time back but unlike Reyna she was alive.

With one last look at her I too walked away keeping in mind to send some healers to take her to the infirmary.


	15. Grand Council

**Grand Council**

**Annabeth's POV**

Wisdom isn't inherent. Being wisdom's daughter didn't ensure that I'd be wise as well but then that's where genes come to play or should I say our Godly parent's blessing. Over the years I had come to be known as Wisdom's Daughter but I won't call myself wise at all.

I might be a good architect, a good learner and definitely a master strategist. I agree to be all those things but definitely not wise. The reason for that being that I had made the same mistake over and over again and not learnt from them over the years. They might have been small mistakes but it so happened that they led to drastic consequences. My pride was my flaw and I had paid more often than once for giving into hubris.

I looked over the city from my window and beyond it at the emerald forest, the mist traversing through the trees and retreating back to the mountains with the coming dawn. I breathed deeply. Today was the day when we left for the Grand Council at Olympus. With one last look out of my window, I swung my legs of the divan ext to the window and walked to my wardrobe at the other end of the room.

When I reached it, instead of opening the double doors I looked to my armour resting on my life like mannequin, polished and decorated a night before. I stripped my clothing and ran a hand over the polished surface of the silver coloured armour, taking in the fresh scent of formaldehyde and feeling the texture of the silk cape.

One by one I donned the pieces of my armour. I appreciated how each piece fit as if it was especially crafted for my body by Hephaestus himself. I smiled to myself, hubris again. I had been doing that a lot lately. I slid my linothorax and then strapped on my corset. Over my corset went the breast and back plates, followed by platinum bracers; a gift from my mother along with the customary greaves.

To complete the look I strapped my sheath to my waist and the crimson silk cloak on my shoulders. I decided to carry my helmet in hand and wear it if need be or maybe after reaching Olympus. Looking at myself in the mirror I couldn't help compliment myself and with a slight nod I exited my room to go and meet with the rest of the council in the Crystal Chambers.

**Percy's POV**

I sat on my seat at the head of Council of Sentinels in the Crystal chamber. Looking around I saw many of my fellow councillors grieving Reyna's loss. Reyna's wasn't the only seat that was vacant, besides me Jason's chair and a few seas from his Annabeth's seat too were vacant.

Strange, Annabeth was usually on time for all council sessions. I wondered what kept her waiting and as if she was reading my mind the double doors opened and Annabeth marched in, wearing her armour and her word strapped to her waist. Her dagger clasped on a sheath on her arm.

She beamed at me and then took her seat. Jason was the only one who we were waiting for as of now. I looked towards Thalia and tapped her arm gently to draw her attention.

She leaned towards me but kept her gaze on the doors.

"Is he coming?" I asked her in a hushed voice.

"He better." She said, "I don't wish to listen to my father's wrath alone."

She then leaned back into her chair and closed her eyes not willing to discuss her brother anymore.

I slumped back my chair my mind reminiscing about Reyna's funeral the previous night. A large procession had been led through the city and the barracks to the central plaza where the pyre had been set. Reyna covered in the shroud of Bellona was laid to rest on the pyre.

By a majority consensus it was decided that Jason would set Reyna's pyre on flame. He had known her the longest and the best. On the other side everyone knew Reyna would want Jason to be the one who placed the drachmas as a bribe for the ferryman.

I pinched me nose with my thumb and forefinger. I just couldn't get over Reyna's loss. Although I didn't show it but I knew I'd miss her too. There was no other leader in the battlefield like her, no other.

"Percy", Thalia whispered bringing me to attention. I looked at her and saw her pointing towards the entrance. A smirk tugged on my lips. Jason Grace had finally decided to make an appearance. Dressed in an armour of gold with a scarlet red cloak clasped to his breastplate with gold fastenings he marched to the centre of room with his hand clasped on the hilt of his sword. A grim expression marred his face, his eyes red.

"So you finally decided to show up "asked Thalia getting up from her seat and walking down the altar to join her brother. It sounded like a question as if she knew that he wouldn't show up.

Jason too pissed off decided not comment and muttered something under his breath.

I stood beside Jason and Annabeth while Thalia stood to Annabeth's side. We had decided to put as much distance as possible between the siblings. They worked like magnetic fusion bombs when in each other's presence.

"Get ready everyone! We are about to phase to Olympus." said Hazel in a haunting voice. She had been like that ever since Nico's injury.

I lightly held on to Annabeth's hand. Shadow travelling still made me uncomfortable.

I closed my eyes as soon as I saw the dark wispy smoke emanating from within Hazel. She began to levitate off the ground and the smoke began to coil around us, engulfing us. I felt the familiar shiver down my spine and the feeling of being squeezed through a pipe; an intense cold wallowing its way through my body. I couldn't even feel Annabeth's hand anymore but I knew she was there, right beside me.

After what felt like few minutes I felt the warmth return to my body. My eyelids forced themselves open, momentarily blinding me with the intense light.

"Welcome to Olympus demigods." Said a loud and cheerful voice and there was only one person on the whole of Olympus to whom such a voice belonged. Without another thought all gathered demigods and councillors bowed down before Hermes, god of Travellers, Messengers, Merchants and Doctors.

Caduceus in hand, wearing winged sandals and his trademark smirk plastered on his face he greeted us all, showing us the way to the Grand Council hall. Entrance to the Hall was gained after passing through the Coliseum gates. Adorned with the symbols of power of the Big Three and the sigils of the other gods, the doors were open to all who were invited Directly beyond the Great Door was the large Atrium of the Council. This grand circular chamber was lined with statues of the Gods and various demigods who had done truly heroic deeds, as well as busts of the members of the Council of Senate, the atrium continued on deeper into the building before proceeding on into the Grand Council Chamber just beyond the Coliseum gates.

The first tier at the base of the Coliseum was meant to seat the _fourteen_ Olympians. The second tier was mean to house three minor gods under the dominion of each of the fourteen Olympians. However this number largely varied with Gods like Zeus, Poseidon and Demeter having multiple minor gods under their dominion while others like Hestia, Hera, Athena and Aphrodite had either singular representation or none.

The third tier housed the low ranking minor gods while the fourth tier housed an enumerable number of immortal personifications and along with them sat the demigods and the rulers of the independent democratic nations.

It was caste system at its highest form. While Triton, Melinoe and Hercules sat in the second tier behind our Parents, we the demigods who had given our life for them were made to sit in the furthest row, away from them emphasising the fact that they didn't concern themselves with our affairs. I expected such behaviour of Zeus and had a feeling that he had forced Hades and my father, Poseidon to obey his command. Such was the nature of the king of Gods.

I trained my stare on my father sitting beside Zeus at the centre of the Coliseum. His eyes sparkled when he saw me and acknowledged my presence with a nod.

With a smile directed towards him I took a seat between Annabeth and an immortal personification, who I knew to be Caca, Goddess of mild fire. Although she was a minor god she preferred to sit in the fourth tier to avoid her father, Hephaestus.

On her other side sat Jake Masen her demigod brother and member of the Council of Sentinels.

"I wonder why they called this assembly of the Grand Council moths before its scheduled date." She said aloud. I was surprised to hear that though.

"You don't know the reason either?" I asked mildly hiding my surprise.

She turned her gaze at me, her eyes glowing like embers bore into my sea green eyes as if threatening to evaporate. However, she gently smiled and then looked away.

"I have heard rumours but then I'm not the one to believe them." She said absentmindedly. I too averted my gaze and began to search for other familiar faces.

There was Athena sitting beside Poseidon, which was strange since they didn't like each other. Hades sat opposite Zeus, flanked on one side by Hermes and an empty chair on his other side, probably Hestia's since she was the only one not present on the council.

She was never known to be late for any proceeding, especially the Grand and the Olympian councils but then again Hestia had been behaving strangely off late.

During the second Titanomachy, Hestia had been a pillar of strength for the demigods. A constant support and source of strength and courage, it was a known fact that Hestia truly respected the importance of demigods and went out of her way to protect them. Sending help when need be and always answering prayers of those in need of guidance, Hestia in true sense was a selfless Goddess.

Lost in thought I was brought back to concurrency by Annabeth. "Rise Percy, Hestia has taken her throne." All around me I saw _people_ shifting in their seats.

Hestia had decided to make an appearance as a young woman instead of the girl child she usually took the form of. For the first time I realised that her beauty was second only to Aphrodite.

With waist length dark brown hair falling in waves and curling at the back, smooth milk white skin tinged with a shade of cinnamon and almond shaped eyes the colour of molten gold, Hestia looked absolutely divine. She had decided to wear the customary robes of a Vestal which included a beige gown with an intricate golden border and semi transparent drapes in similar colours.

With pride and honour she took her seat between Hades and Hephaestus.

I don't know why but she looked different. She felt different. There was a felling of uneasiness around the Coliseum and I was ready to bet that everyone felt it and all I could think of was, why?

**Hestia's POV**

I took my seat between Hephaestus and Hades.

I greeted Hephaestus plainly while he looked at me dumbfounded. Clearly he had not seen me in this form in a very long time and had probably forgotten how I actually looked. Suppressing a snicker I turned my gaze to my brother, Hades, Lord of the Underworld.

"You look beautiful Hestia. "He said with a smile across his pale and sallow face.

I simply smiled.

I hadn't taken this form in a long while. I tugged at my veil to cover my head properly allowing a few wisps of hair to peek from the corner. For the first time in centuries I felt liberated. I looked to the far end of the chamber. Zeus was bemused while Poseidon winked at me with a smile etched on his face.

My sisters were a completely different story and I wouldn't want to waste precious time describing their expression. All I can say is that they hadn't aged well.

A smile crept to my face and I did my best to hide it as Zeus called for attention and order in the House with an echoing thunder clap reverberating through the skies.

This was going to be one interesting council, the smile still lingering on my face.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Finally the Grand Council, Review.


	16. Claim Thee Throne

** Claim Thee Throne**

**Alec's POV**

My eyes followed the goddess draped in ochre shawls and the earthly toga. Her dark brown hair cascading down her back had me in awe. For a moment I thought she was a Goddess and then it hit me, of course she was. I slapped myself on the head, the sound of it falling on the ears of the person sitting beside me.

"Why did you just do that?" a hollow voice asked from behind me. I had completely forgotten that I was in the presence of known company who had made it their business to observe me even I flexed a muscle.

I turned my head to see the imposing physique of James Lowell, the Cohort Commander of Thundering Pegasi standing right behind me. He took a seat beside me and began staring at the central tier where all the Olympians had already taken their thrones. He seemed to survey each and every God but after a few minutes his eyes came to rest on the Goddess that I had been smitten by.

"Who is she?" I asked my voice full of curiosity.

James curved his lips in an upward smile. He turned to look at me, observing the look in my eye he simply shrugged and then said, pausing a little before answering, "That" he said pointing at the Goddess and then turning his head to look into my eyes, "is Hestia, Virgin Goddess of the Sacred Fire and the Hearth."

I barely heard the rest of the words. My mind seemed to have gotten stuck on two words, 'Hestia' and 'Virgin'. True, that I had read my part of Greek History and Mythology but I must have skipped when it came to Hestia after all she wasn't a part of the twelve Olympians and yet, I wondered why she and Hades were sitting with the other Olympians in the central tier.

It seemed strange to me that the positions that were exclusively reserved for The Dodekathon had been so easily expanded to include the outcasts of the Olympian Family, or were they outcasts no more? Whatever it was, it was nothing more than circumstantial and opportunist politics. That's what it all was, Blatant Politics.

I moved my gaze from the primary tier a few levels up, keeping a keen eye at spotting my own father. It wasn't long before I found him. It appeared that he had robed himself in living shadows, the darkness emanating of him was so thick that no matter how much anyone tried hacking it with the severest of swords they wouldn't be able to cut through it. Such was the power of my father, Thanatos, God of Death.

I silently prayed to him to draw his attention to me. It wasn't long before his eyes found mine. Although dark, they seemed to smile at me. We didn't have a typical father-son relationship but we both held a lot of respect for each other, especially I for my father.

**Hestia's POV**

I took my seat between Hephaestus and Hades.

I greeted Hephaestus plainly while he looked at me dumbfounded. Clearly he had not seen me in this form in a very long time and had probably forgotten how I actually looked. Suppressing a snicker I turned my gaze to my brother, Hades, Lord of the Underworld.

"You look beautiful Hestia. "He said with a smile across his pale and sallow face.

I simply smiled.

I hadn't taken this form in a long while. I tugged at my veil to cover my head properly allowing a few wisps of hair to peek from the corner. For the first time in centuries I felt liberated. I looked to the far end of the chamber. Zeus was bemused while Poseidon winked at me with a smile etched on his face.

My sisters were a completely different story and I wouldn't want to waste precious time describing their expression. All I can say is that they hadn't aged well.

A smile crept to my face and I did my best to hide it as Zeus called for attention and order in the House with an echoing thunder clap reverberating through the skies.

"Greetings members of the Council of Olympus" Zeus said in his booming voice his electric blue eyes surveying all of us as he spoke the words. He then turned his gaze to the higher levels, "Welcome, Gods and Goddesses of Olympus." He said looking at the hundreds of minor gods and immortal personifications seated in the higher levels.

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence and for giving time to this council that has been summoned much before its schedule." Zeus was supposed to be showing regret but there was none there, he still thought of himself as the monarch of Olympus, well that was about to change some time in the future.

Standing up from his throne Zeus conjured a podium to address the gathering in mass.

"I'm sure you all would be wondering why the council has been summoned before its designated time." He sighed, that was never a good sign.

"It's my duty as the God of the Heavens and Skies to being to your notice that I have observed several breaches in the last few months in the energy shield that envelops our planet." The entire Coliseum broke into whispers and there was commotion all around, "Silence" Zeus' voice boomed again and within the next few moments the commotion broke down to ever so silent whispering.

"The energy shield was first made by my grandfather, Ouranos. He created the shield to protect it from any _extra-terrestrial_ influence." He said gravely.

The gods and goddesses although keeping straight faces smirked at one each other some even breaking into laughs, drawing Zeus' death glare that shut them up. "Do you have something to ask Nemesis?" Zeus asked the Goddess of Retribution who I believe was sharing an inside joke with Hecate, Goddess of Witchcraft and Crossroads.

Nemesis donned her usual mask of indifference and stood up from her seat, pondering over her thoughts as if finding the right words to voice her question. After much contemplation she spoke, "My Lord Zeus, I believe that extra-terrestrials only exist in Science Fiction. That's what they are, a figment of imagination." She said with a smile tugging at her lips.

For the first time that evening Zeus smiled, "My dear Nemesis, I thought you'd be more wise than the others gathered her." He jabbed at her wiping the smile of her face. Removing his gaze from her, he flashed to the centre of the Coliseum to address the entire gathering as a whole.

"As you all know before life there was Chaos. Chaos created the Universe and us within it. If he created Gaia, a celestial being that could support life is there any proof that he didn't create other celestial beings like her that could support life as well." He said, addressing the now silent gods and goddesses listening to him with rapt attention.

"This was Ouranos' belief that he passed on to me when I assumed control of the throne of Heavens. Ouranos believed that there could be others just like us who'd one day seek to expand their territory and for that purpose he created the shield to prevent them from entering our dominion." Zeus finished.

The entire coliseum had now fallen completely silent taking their time to analyse what Zeus had just said and then a hand rose up in the air. I turned my gaze in the direction where Zeus was looking at. Summanus, Minor God of thunder and lightning, although he was of roman origin Summanus held much influence over the skies just a little less than Zeus. To be honest, Zeus underestimated Summanus' strength and this I knew would come to bite him at a later day.

I put these thoughts to the back of my mind when I saw Zeus motion to Summanus to stand and speak his mind. I too was interested in what he had to say. If there had been a breach then Summanus was bound to have observed it.

Summanus stood tall at his seat. He had the form of a warrior. He was garbed in armour with I thought to be was made of silver and titanium, not easily destructible along with a cape that seemed to resemble storm clouds.

His chiselled, sharp featured face betrayed no emotion and his eyes flashed a different colour of lightning like clockwork, blazing amber, electric blue and destructive violet. He was a formidable looking god, Zeus was lucky to be on good terms with him.

He bowed his head and then looking around him he spoke in a loud thunderous voice, "As Lord Zeus says the sky shield has been breached." He looked at Zeus and then continued, "I'd like to stand as a witness to one such occasion when the shield was being breached." His eyes then became hazy as if he was recounting a memory and then in a low voice he spoke, "It happened a few weeks ago when I was riding my chariot over the hurricane that recently hit China. I was trying to decrease its intensity in order to lower the destruction. However, no matter how much I tried the storm continued to rage." He paused for a moment and then inhaled deeply, "I thought of coming to Lord Zeus for help and even turned my chariot to do so…" he sighed, "that's when I saw it" Summanus' eyes were now deep forest green, "A swirling mass of black cloud coming down from the skies. A concentration of energy equivalent or greater than the entire Olympian council put together." Upon those words several Olympians got up from their seat and began cursing and abusing Summanus. They couldn't bear to hear the fact that there was something out there more powerful than them.

Zeus however asked Summanus to sit down over Ares' and Dionysus' protests of killing Summanus at the spot to set an example. Zeus silenced them as well. I wonder what is going on his mind, there has to be a reason for the calling of this Grand Council. Calling all the gods to inform about this breach couldn't have been enough reason. What was he playing at? What was going on his mind as of now? I simply had to figure it out.

I turned to look at Hades, who was twirling one of his rings in his hand. It was a simple band of platinum, human-made. "Is that the ring…?" I let the sentence trail.

Hades simply nodded.

Maybe he was thinking of his son, the one who was recuperating in the infirmary at Fort Olympus. "How is your son now?" I asked, with genuine concern in my voice.

"Which one?" he shot back at me, not meaning to I'm sure. Hades simply snarled at everyone when he was not in the mood. I treaded back on my attempt. He had recently lost two of his eldest mortal sons. Nico had been gravely injured by a monster whereas his other son was missing in action. I knew that Hades wanted either of the two to take immortality and rule the underworld when he stepped down. However, he wasn't counting on losing both his heirs at the same time, Nico would recover but no one knew when. His human half was nearly dead but his godly half was still intact and keeping him alive.

Such was the curse of demigods.

I sighed, Zeus had finally taken to the podium once again and I had this feeling within me that he was about to say something that I had come to this Grand Council to hear.

"I won't take much of your time" Zeus said getting straight down to business, he then continued after taking a deep breath, "In the light of recent events I have decided that it'd be safer for those hidden behind the Veil to _close_ the borders of their respective nations and realms until the danger passes by us."

The entire coliseum broke into an uproar. What was Zeus thinking? Had he lost complete sense?

As if reading my mind Poseidon and Hades both got up from their respective thrones. Their faces contorted with anger and annoyance, "Are you out of your bloody mind?" Hades seethed. "Do you know what repercussions we'd have to face if we close our realms?" Poseidon shouted from the other corner.

To my surprise Athena joined in, "Father…" she hesitated, "My Lord, please reconsider. The humans give us our strength. If we close our borders, it'll greatly reduce our power."

Ares too got up from his seat, "You are wrong Athena. Not all of us will suffer a decline in our power only those whose strength directly depends on the humans."

"In which you are included, God of War." Athena shot back right at him.

"There'll always be war, anger and fear." Ares spat at her, "and I'll get my strength. You however being cut-off from civilization will not only lose power but the humans as well will lose their creativity, intelligence and wisdom." He paused and then with a smirk on his face added, "That's the negative of being a symbiotic goddess."

"YOU" Athena screamed, a spear materialized in her hand but before she could throw it at Ares, Poseidon who was standing next to her caught her by the arm to restrain her. "Don't do anything foolish Athena. Think for a minute, you are the wisdom goddess." He mused at her.

Athena contemplated for less than a moment before the spear disappeared. She glared at Ares and then took a stand beside Poseidon. That was another shocker, Athena and Poseidon taking a stand together. Zeus glared at his brothers and his favourite daughter.

If Zeus didn't remedy his mistake fast, there was going to be a civil war in the heaven. This was something which Zeus would not be keen on especially judging the fact that his enemies packed more fire power than him. Zeus was livid and scared; his worst nightmare was becoming a reality, Poseidon and Hades standing against him, together. What added fuel to the fire was the fact that his loyal daughter Athena, stood along with them. Athena, who herself was a force to reckon with.

Zeus sighed and decided to make one last attempt to sway his brothers, "Why don't you understand? If we don't protect ourselves then how will we protect the mortals?"

"How do you expect us to protect the mortals from within our realms?" Poseidon asked stating the obvious.

"Like we have done over millennia, influence their decisions through thoughts and dreams." Zeus supplied coolly.

"What?" asked fair headed Apollo, standing tall against his father, his body blazing with the son's glare. "How will that _protect _them?" he asked his hands in the air.

Hera stood up in support for Zeus, "We cannot directly interfere with the lives of the mortal. We never have and we never will." She zeroed in on Apollo. "There is a lot of difference between protecting and influencing Father" said Artemis addressing Zeus but her eyes remained focussed on Hera.

Hera however remained indifferent to Artemis' death glares knowing full well that she couldn't do anything. Zeus on the other hand was leaving his cool seeing his own children standing against him, Apollo and Artemis had always been overly fond of Humans.

I sat on my throne observing the rift that was already pulling the Olympians apart and out of the corner of my eye I observed the minor gods deciding upon which side to choose, those who chose the winning side had lots to gain but they didn't know what was about to hit them.

Zeus had noticed this as well. The minor gods had already begun to taking sides, infuriated he sent out a resounding thunderclap through the Coliseum. Calling for silence, the sky overhead rumbled with thunder several times before silence echoed through the coliseum.

"I never expected for it to come down to this." Zeus said glaring at Poseidon and Hades. He inhaled sharply, "I banish you from Olympus" he spat at them and then turned his gaze to all those who were standing in the higher tiers showing support for the banished brothers, "All of you." Zeus shouted, "You don't deserve asylum in Olympus. Rot in mortal world for all I care." He screamed at them.

Several minor gods stood up in anger, cursing Zeus and abusing him. Few of them disappeared, no doubt returning to their own realms never to be seen again by Zeus.

This was it. Zeus had gone too far in his attempt to save his own skin. I wouldn't allow for this to continue, not at all. I balled my hands into fists and got up from my throne.

Finding my voice for the first time in front of the council I was surprised when my own words left my mouth, "Zeus, How dare you?" I shouted at him.

The commotion died down. Everyone's attention was now on me. Zeus looked at me in surprise, his anger evident but I wasn't going to give in today.

"How dare you banish Poseidon and Hades from Olympus?" I asked him voicing my question again.

"Take your throne Hestia. Don't concern yourself with such matters, leave it to the Olympians." Zeus said waving me off as if I was a common house fly.

"Zeus!" I screamed, "Don't turn your back on me."

"I am your king." He thundered his electric blue eyes flaring with dormant lightning.

"You are no king of mine." I said my voice clear and finally finding its ground. The sacred flame whirled around me and in a blinding flash of light I joined him in the centre of the Coliseum.

"You have no right to be the king of the Gods. It was never your right to lead." I seethed at him.

"How dare you Hestia?" Hera screeched from behind Zeus her eyes burning with the fires of purgatory, "Apologise to Zeus" she looked at me, "Now" she seethed.

I simply smiled, "The trophy wife finally speaks." I said and with a snap of my fingers I make her disappear in another flash of light.

Zeus stares at me, amazed and irate, "How did you do that?" he asks, slightly frightened.

The smile on my face widens, "I am older than all of you. More powerful and wise." I say with a purr.

Closing the distance between us, "I am the eldest living immortal child of Kronos. My power is unsurpassed." And with that with a wave of power and blinding speed I throw him across the arena and through the wall.

I stand there in the middle of the coliseum with gods, immortals and the chosen few mortals looking down at me. It was time now; there wouldn't be another to do this.

I raise my arms by my side and speak, "Revered gods and goddesses of Olympus, Immortal Personification, rulers of the hidden realms and Chosen Mortals there is something that I wish to say and I request you to listen to me." The commotion didn't die down but the stand that I took against Zeus surely had them listening to me.

"I know how important the mortal world is to us. The mortal world is a part of our life a reflection of our power and also the source of our life. If anything happens to the mortal world then we will all fade into oblivion." I stressed on the last few words.

By now I had their attention, something which Zeus didn't command rather enforced.

"It therefore becomes our duty to protect the mortal world from this unprecedented danger." I say with conviction gathering cheers from my audience and what I knew were future subjects.

A manic laughter echoed reverberated through the entire hall. I looked for the source of it but couldn't find it. "It's Zeus I heard" Poseidon's familiar voice, "He's lost his stability" said Hades gravely. Both of them had come to stand beside me, flanking me on both sides. I soon noticed that we were joined by Athena, Artemis, Apollo and Hermes.

Hermes was an honest shock. He was Zeus' favourite son. I was surprised that stood beside and not against me but then he was always known to pick the side he felt was right. He had an honest conscious.

"Father is terribly angry." Athena said, her voice lacking the usual conviction.

The laugh continued to echo throughout the Coliseum.

"It looks like he took a hit on the head." Hermes chuckled, "Maybe he's going to sprout another Athena." Apollo added, laughing outwardly only to be silenced by Artemis' slap.

The Seven Olympians surveyed the surroundings but saw no sign of their _King_. They spoke to soon.

In a blinding flash of lightning, Zeus appeared before them flanked on each side by a son, Hercules on his right and Ares on his left. Standing behind them were Hercules' and Ares' immortal sons and their other siblings, weapons drawn to protect their father's honour.

"Coward" Hestia said, toying with Zeus. Before Zeus could even give an indication Hercules charged forward with his sons. The ground shook beneath the feet of the defiant Olympians, not from the strength of Hercules but because of the power of Hades.

The ground split open to reveal a never ending crevice in which fell the God of Strength and guardians of the Olympian gates.

"That's why I liked Perseus." added Hestia, "at least he thought before acting."

"You will never be Queen." Hera screeched, hidden behind Zeus.

Hestia's face at that very moment changed to mimic the expressions of Kronos. Out of all her siblings she was most like the Titan Lord and it was more than enough to take Zeus's godlings aback. In a grave voice, slightly more than a whisper she said, "I claim my right Zeus. From now I am the queen of Olympus, beseech my command."

The sky overhead thundered. Not under the influence of Zeus but from the sheer power of Hestia's claim. Hestia put forward her hand in which materialized Zeus's sceptre of command.

"NO!" Zeus screamed calling for his lightning bolt to attack Hestia in his fit of rage but even before he could spring a flash. Hestia raised the sceptre out of which emanated a golden light that engulfed Zeus and the rest of his kin. When the light disappeared; except for the seven Olympians including Hestia no one else stood in the arena.

**Neutral POV**

All around them, everybody started to rise from their seats and then in a synchronized motion bowed with one knee to the ground. A majority of the gathering had stayed behind. Few of the minor gods who owed their allegiance to Zeus had disappeared with Zeus and some others who weren't there had decided to adopt the act of neutrality in what was now turning out to be a civil war in heaven.

Hestia acknowledged all her subjects and with a wave of her hand motioned them to rise, "Thank you for your respect" she said sounding obliged at their gesture. "I'd now request you all to go to your realms and prepare for the worst. Remember you shall be called when needed till then tend to those who need your help and guidance." The minor gods and personifications flashed away instantly.

The demigods who had been asked to attend the council were all that remained in the highest balconies of the coliseum. Hestia looked at them with compassion, born to mostly uncaring parents the demigods were forced into a life of blood and battle from early years. She wished to speak to the council of Fort Olympus.

"Hermes" Hestia called.

The winged foot, caduceus bearing god of messengers turned his attention towards her.

Not averting her gaze from the small group of demigods Hestia said, "Bring them to the Council chambers. I wish to speak to them." Hermes flashed away and in the distance so did the demigods.

Hestia then turned to face Athena, "We'll need a plan of action and also a way to restore the shield at the places where it has been breached." Athena nodded momentarily and she too twirling her shawl around her flashed way.

Hestia then turned to face Apollo and Artemis, "Bring to me the most powerful warriors from the Human realm. Train them, gift them immortality and bind them to Olympus to protect it." Apollo and Artemis shared a look, smiled at Hestia and then disappeared. The brother sister duo then whirled on the spot off to fulfill their assignments, Apollo in a flash of gold and Artemis in a flash of silver.

Hestia then turned to look at her brothers, Poseidon and Hades. She saw nothing except respect, honour and support. "Thank you for standing beside me" she bowed her head in gratitude.

"It's good you found your voice when you did." Poseidon said his voice full of mirth. "I agree" Hades said the trademark smirk lining his mouth.

"We have a lot of work to do, you both in?" She asked.

Hades and Poseidon exchanged glances with each other and then held out their hands. 'This was going to be interesting', Hestia thought to herself as she took the hands her brother offered and with a blinding flash of light the three of them disappeared leaving behind an empty Grand Coliseum of the Assembly of Olympus.

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><p><strong>AN:**

Well this one took time didn't it? Longest chapter ever guys. There are two more chapters left for this story. After that, I start work on the second part. The reason I decided not to continue with this is because the **second installment** is **DARKER**. It is going to focus more on the assignments of the demigods and how they face the darkness around them and the darkness with in. I was thinking of completing 20 chapters for this one and I just might. I think the first part of the series should be done by coming Monday.


	17. Raging Demigods

**Raging Demigods**

A group of two dozen demigods marched in two parallel files into the chambers of the Olympian Council. As they entered the council the files fell into formation of three rows of three warriors each led by the three senior councillors of the Council of Sentinels. One of the formation was being led by Percy with Annabeth and Leo on his flanks while the other was led by Thalia, her flanks covered by Jason and Alec Blackwood, who was filling in for Nico.

The Council room seemed to have changed quite a bit in the last few minutes as if it had been magically re-decorated and organised, which the demigods were pretty sure it had been. The demigods came to a halt in front of the sacred hearth and bent down on one knee to bow to the new Queen of Heavens, Hestia, Goddess of the Sacred Fire and the Hearth. Hestia sat at the centre of the semicircle which now consisted of nine thrones.

At the head of the council sat Hestia dressed in earthly shades and that of golden ochre. To her right sat Poseidon, who was wearing pearl studded-crab shell armour, His sea green eyes flickering with excitement. To Hestia's left sat Hades, his dark eyes gleaming with an internal fire.

The other thrones however were empty; Hermes of course was standing beside the demigods and hadn't taken his throne.

"Don't fear demigods. The Gods are all running errands that are required to ensure the survival of the mortal civilization." Hestia said, her voice seemed to have a calming effect on the demigods who were fretting on the absence of the other Olympians.

"Now, Percy I believe has something to say." She said her gaze focused on Percy. Percy exchanged a glance with Thalia who simply nodded, asking him to go forward. Acknowledging what Thalia had to say Percy walked forward, inhaled deeply, looked at the Gods and said, "I'd like to seek your permission to hunt the monster that has been injuring and killing demigods." Hestia didn't say anything and simply nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

Percy again took a deep breath and said, "It is our belief that this monster's strength is equivalent to that of the Gods." Hestia arched an eyebrow but didn't say anything she wanted Percy to continue what he had to say.

Percy however was fumbling, he couldn't come up with the right words but somehow he gained the confidence to speak again, "Thalia and I have come to believe that the celestial being that caused the breach and the monster that is ambushing the demigods is the same." He said sharing a glance with Thalia.

"We…" but before Percy could say another word Poseidon interjected, "Why wasn't this brought to the notice of the Olympian council." He inquired, annoyed at the thought of the demigods hiding such critical information.

"We didn't know." Thalia said, coming to stand beside Percy.

"Did this monster attack my sons?" Hades asked, practically seething. His brows furrowed.

Percy nodded and said, "We have reason and evidence to believe that it did."

Hades banged the arm rest of his throne with his clenched fist, the sound of thunder reverberating through the sky.

"Calm down brother" Hestia said in a composed voice but with force to her words.

She then looked to the demigods and said, "You seek permission from me to hunt this monster knowing that it is as powerful as a God… "

"Do you wish to die?" Poseidon asked losing his cool. Hestia raised her hand and then turned her attention back to the demigods, "This is a death wish." She said.

Thalia and Percy looked at each other and then at the demigods behind them who stood resolute and confident. Smiling with conviction they turned to face Hestia and nodded.

Hestia smiled in appreciation of the young warriors and nodded, "If that is your wish then I have no choice but to agree." Poseidon and Hermes opened their mouth to challenge her decision but instantly fell silent.

"I know what the two of you are thinking." Hestia said looking at Poseidon and Hermes, she then looked at the assembled demigods, "but it is their decision. They'd have done so with or without our permission."

Percy then gestured to the demigods and they all bowed deeply to her, "Go my warriors. The power of Olympus goes with you." She said and waved her hand in their direction and at that very moment each and every demigod present began to glow with a golden light.

Alec turned to Hermes to ask what was happening. With a twinkle in his eye, Hermes simply whispered, "Hestia's blessing."

"Go now." Hestia said standing from her throne, her brothers joining her.

The demigods rose and stood in attention, with a last salute they all filed out of the council chambers leaving the gods to debate amongst themselves.

"Shouldn't we have detailed a God to guide them?" Hades asked his eyebrow quirked.

"Guide them?" Poseidon said exasperated, "One of us should have gone with them." He shouted, riled by the scenario.

"We surely couldn't have gone with…" Hades couldn't complete his sentence for someone cleared their throat. The three Gods turned to see Hermes beside who were standing two of the demigods that had come with the rest.

One of them was unmistakably a Son of Mars; however there was something wrong with him. His handsome features were marred with that of agony; his aura reflected the pain that he was in. The presence of the second demigod however was a cause of concern, Jason Grace, Son of Zeus.

"Jason and James have requested to speak with the trimutive if they can spare the time." Hestia exchanged a glance with her brothers and gestured for the demigods to voice their concerns. James whispered something to Jason in the ear who nodded and walked forward to stand before the three siblings, "Lady Hestia" he said bowing to her. "Lord Poseidon" he gave him a curt nod, respectfully.

"Is something bothering you Jason?" Poseidon asked him, his voice lined with compassion. He was after all his uncle.

"Yes, Uncle Poseidon." Jason said with a nod, looking down. Gathering courage and taking a deep breath he said, "I want you to bind Delilah to your realm. I don't even want to see the sight of her in Fort Olympus."

Poseidon sighed, "I am sorry for your loss Jason. I really am. I know how you feel" Poseidon said showing genuine concern. "Then remove Delilah from our realm and bind her to yours." Said Jason his eyes darkening, "Otherwise I will destroy her." He said stressing his words.

The chamber fell silent for a moment and then after much contemplation Hestia spoke, "You have made an offering to Nemesis haven't you" she asked.

Jason nodded.

"What?" Hades asked, although he showed lack of interest. It was common knowledge that he kept tabs on demigods as well.

"I made a blood offering." Jason said, showing the white scar on his right palm.

Hestia examined the scar on Jason's hand and then turned to face Poseidon, "You want to keep your daughter safe?" she asked to which Poseidon simply nodded.

"Then it is advisable that she be removed from Fort Olympus." Hestia said, not willing for her decision to be contested.

Poseidon sighed, "It's my fault; I should have never freed her. Even then I knew she was dangerous." And without any warning he flashed away, no doubt to take Delilah to his realm.

"Is there anything else Jason" Hestia asked him.

Jason shook his head, bowed and was flashed away by Hermes only to be replaced by James Lowell, Son of Mars.

Hestia closely observed the gaunt looking young demigod before her. She had seen him before and she knew that she'd see him again. Yes, such was her fate to come face to face with the person whose life she taken away.

"Commander Lowell. What do you wish to discuss?" She asked him.

James fell on his knees and brought his sword to his neck, gently pressing the sharp edge on the thin skin that separated the blade and the blood vessels, "I. want. Alyssa." He said stressing on each and every word, "Otherwise I swear I'll bleed myself to death on the floor of this very chamber." He said, his saddened eyes gleaming with internal rage, a fire I had not seen in centuries.

Was it possible for someone to love another so much that they'd be ready to sacrifice themselves over it? Hestia continued to question myself. No, there was no way that a Vestal could be re-introduced in the mortal world. The boy would have to be pacified some other way. Hestia stood up from her throne and walked to the boy. She kept both hands on his shoulders and made him stand.

She then gently circled her fingers around the boy's hand which held the sword to his neck. Mesmerising him with the depth of her eyes she took the opportunity and gently lowered the sword. Not sensing any kind of resistance she then moved to ease his fingers from the hilt of the sword and then when the moment was right grabbed the sword from his hand and threw it across the chambers.

James Lowell who until now had been in a mild state of his hypnosis came crashing back to full conscious. Seeing that he had been duped his anger rose above the point he could control it, his body gleamed with a deep crimson hue.

It was a colour that Hestia had often seen raging around Ares or Mars in this case.

She turned her back to him and said, "Alyssa Li, was brought to me half dead. I have gifted her a new life, a life of immortality that bears no connection to her previous life of a demigod." She then turned to face him. Her eyes mirrored James hurt, "I'm sorry child but her life is now tied to mine. On her own, her soul cannot survive now. She needs to stay bound to me and while she's bound to me, she can't be with you." It was as if she was apologising.

James had nothing to say. What could he say?

"You can free her from her vow?" James said his voice cracking. "You could relieve her from the duties of a vestal." He said.

Hestia shook her head, "I'm sorry." She apologised. "Once a vestal, always a vestal; Revoking the vow would mean purgatory to the soul of the girl or what's left of her soul."

"What do you mean?" James asked, confused by Hestia's words.

Hestia breathed, sighing she breathed Apollo's name.

Within moments in a flash of soft golden light appeared the Sun God. Wearing an armour of gold that shone like the brilliance of sun, his light blonde hair gently blowing even in the absence of wind. His blue eyes gleaming like the morning sky.

He bowed to Hestia and Hades and then observed the demigod boy before him, his face considerably paled, "You?" he managed to choke out.

"Lord Apollo." James said bowing his to show respect to the god.

"James wants to know why Alyssa's vow cannot be revoked." Hestia told Apollo, "care to answer?" she asked him, no ordering him to answer James' questions.

Apollo sighed, keeping his helmet aside Apollo inhaled deeply and said, "When Alyssa was brought to me her soul was already in Hades…" but he was cut-off by a loud clearing of throat, one that came from the Lord of the Underworld. Apollo closed his eyes and cursed, "… I mean, it was in the in-between. She remained a part of our world but was only held by a very thin line of thread." He paused, took a deep breath and continued, "I have lost children in the previous wars. I didn't want to lose another. So I did the only thing I could think of." He then put his arm forward and showed everyone in the chamber a scar, "I made a sacrifice to Hestia. I bled my ichor into the sacred fire of the hearth" He said looking at the embers crackling in the golden grate "and then I bled Alyssa. It was only a matter of time before Hestia appeared and restored Alyssa to a new life." He averted his eyes, not looking directly into James' which reflected his agony.

Hestia then took the opportunity to speak on Apollo's behalf as he couldn't continue any further, "The Vow of a Vestal is soul binding. As a result of the vow, her soul got permanently tied to this world. The Vow has anchored her soul to this dimension." She said staring into James' honey-brown eyes and then whirled on the spot. Walking back to her throne, her back turned towards Apollo Hermes and James she said, "If I free her of her vow then her soul isn't strong enough to remain tethered to this dimension. She will pass on to the _underworld._" She said, seating herself on the central throne beside her brother.

James knees buckled, and he fell to the floor. Tears running free from his eyes, his face contorted in pain but his eyes burned with anger, "She couldn't have forgotten about me… She couldn't have agreed to live away…"

"We have blocked her memories" Apollo cut in.

Hestia continued to stare at the boy. If looks could kill and Hestia had been mortal she'd have already died over a thousand times and that too a most painful death. On the other hand she could understand the boy's feelings. Rarely had she seen such commitment amongst mortal, among immortals it was completely non-existent.

"I can't help you child and I can't fulfil your wishes. If you love her then your happiness should be in the fact that the one you loved has survived." She said in an effort to condole him. She then looked at Hermes, non-verbally commanding him to take the boy away. Hermes nodded and kept a hand on the young warrior's shoulder and gently squeezed it to show support. He then along with the Demigod warrior flashed away, no doubt to a place where the boy would be most comfortable.

Hestia slumped in her throne and brought her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose to stop any tears that might escape, "You may leave Apollo." She said.

Apollo nodded to the two gods and flashed away.

"There is nothing that you could have done Hestia." Hades said indifferently. It wasn't his fault. He lived in Hell after all.

"I never realised the fact that even though I was a God that I would be unable grant an honest person's just wish." She said, cursing herself over and over again.

**James Lowell's POV**

Hermes had teleported me to a swamp somewhere in Florida. I guess he probably read my mind. I didn't want to go back to Olympus and this was the place that I usually came to unwind. Unwind my ass. This was the place that I had come to associate with my days of pain. This is the place where my step-father had left me when she didn't show much keen-ness to continue their relationship because I was too young and she felt that she owed me her attention and love.

Yea, this was the way he thought of getting rid of me. He probably reckoned that I'd become an Alligator's thanksgiving meal, how I hated the holiday. The worst day of my life when I went from having a perfect family to nothing and I hadn't forgotten it till Alyssa came in my life. I drew my dagger from its sheath as my sword was still in Olympus. I observed my surroundings.

Hermes had teleported me in the middle of a swamp. I tried to get up without slipping in the mud. Once on my feet I carefully tried to find my way to firmer ground, the warrior within me coming in the forefront. Survival was the natural state of mind of each and every demigod and I was no different. With my pain and thoughts pushed to the back of my mind, my divine self trudged through the swamp until I came to some hard-soiled firmer ground.

I saw around me some low bushes and stunted trees. I could also smell the salt in the air and that meant I was close to a beach. I don't know what Hermes was thinking leaving me here. I wanted some place to sort out my mind, but this was ridiculous. I searched for a sachet on my utility belt. Find the small leather sachet I tore it open and began searching for a small pool of water which wasn't difficult.

I threw the silver powder in the sachet into the stagnant pool of water. As soon as the powder came in contact with the water, it caused effervescence. Taking my opportunity I threw in a drachma and spoke, my voice coming out hoarse, "Iris, Holy messenger goddess accept my offering, bring my message to Nick Scholz and Tzefira Landen at Fort Olympus."

The effervescence gave rise to a translucent steam which changed to form the shapes of the two people in the world who I counted on the most. Tzefira Landen, my quarter guard sat opposite Nick Scholz, my second in command on one of the several mess tables in the Cohort Barracks Mess. The two seemed to be busy in conversation as they didn't even notice the Iris Message until I yelled for them. "Nick! Tzefira!" I shouted to gain their attention. The two battle hardened warrior turned to look at me, their lips curving into half smiles.

"Is there something wrong" I asked noting Tzefira's pissed off expressions. Nick on the other hand was good at hiding his emotions, "Yea …" Tzefira continued but was cut off by Nick, who was glaring at her, "Nothing we can't discuss until you come back." He said not averting his gaze from Tzefira.

"Sure." I asked looking towards Tzefira. She scowled at Nick but then nodded; putting up a fake smile to assure that everything was all right.

"Where are you?" Nick asked me, his eyebrows scrunched, looking confused after taking in my current surroundings. "That's why I IMed." James said, making a point. Looking at his surrounding and then at the sky over head he said, "I guess I'm near the eastern shore of Florida." He said, not looking as confident as he sounded.

"What do you want us to do?" Nick asked, scratching his head.

James arched his eyebrow and gave him the look stating the obvious. Tzefira slapped Nick on the head and then back-handed his face, "We'll send Steele. Just call out to him through your telepathic link, he'll know where to come." Tzefira said, sounding confident on her idea.

James nodded, tugging at the chord that connected him to his Pegasi and reached out to him.

He then closed the Iris message telling Tzefira and Nick that he'd see them in a while. Knowing that his Pegasus will find him, James climbed a tree and looked at the star strewn sky over head. He sighed, closed his eyes and rested his back on the trunk of the tree.

Yes, now he could mourn for his loss…or should he?

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><p><strong>AN: **Three more chapters to go for this part. **Please Review.**


	18. Am I God?

**Am I God?**

Sophia Landon was your regular, inquisitive, playful girl who hadn't crossed into her teenage as yet but was soon about to. Curious by nature, she was always bursting with question. Her nature however only brought her negative remarks at the Bible School which her mother forced her to attend.

She always had a question ready before the answer came along. Unlike other eleven and twelve year olds, Sophia didn't have that much faith to believe everything that she was told. She listened all right but believing was a completely different thing. She relished in the thought of a being of all power. A being that could control everything that went around in the world. An Entity that had created the stars in the night sky which she so loved.

Yes, she was in love with the idea of God but had trouble believing that God existed. If he was so caring then she wouldn't have lost her father. If there was a god then her father's killers would have been brought to justice. No, there wasn't a god but she secretly wished there was.

A bell rang somewhere outside the class room. Sophia quickly closed her books and carefully put them in her bag. She checked her desk to see if she had left something behind, she smiled when she saw the sketch she had drawn in class. A silent laugh escaped her lips.

Yes, she did know how to draw angels. She quickly stuffed it in her bag before anyone caught sight of it. Her teachers wouldn't approve of it and if word reached her mother, she would certainly punish her.

Picking up her bag and wishing her teacher good night Sophia quickly walked out of the night school.

It was colder than usual. She pulled at her jacket in an effort to better cover herself and to protect herself from the cold, her efforts were in vain. All she could do now was run back home and sit in front of the heater and she wanted to do so but it seemed as if today wasn't her day.

Over the past few days, at least since the thunder storm it seemed that New York City was undergoing a bad phase. First to hit was the thunderstorm that short circuited the power supply to the entire city. When the power got back on track, the entire subway came to a halt. Luckily, there had been no loss of life, but several people were left stranded for hours in the underground. Her mother was one of such several people. A few days from then, a heat wave hit them recording maximum temperatures touching Fifty-degree Celsius which was followed by several water cuts. It was as if some external force was manipulating the situation to cause pain to the people of New York but Sophia believed that it was just global warming combined with lack of management of resources.

Whatever it was, the lights were out again today. Last time around, at least the street lights were working but this time the entire street was covered in pitch black darkness. Fortunately, her house was just a few blocks down from the school. No so on the fortunate side was the neighbourhood she lived in. She had several times overheard her mother talking to a friend of girls being dragged away in the dark alleys and then subjected to horrific things.

Sophia shuddered at the thought. She didn't want something like that to happen to her. She picked up her pace and could hear the echo of her footsteps. But there was something wrong, she was wearing converse shoes, then where did the sound…?

Sophia froze internally, she continued to walk but a shiver rand down her spine. There was someone following her and by the sound of the heavy footsteps it was an adult and there was more than one. She decided not to look back and picked up the pace, careful not to alert her stalkers. Her mother had always told her to begin by quickening her pace and then running for it when the house or that of a neighbour was close by if she was ever followed.

Her mother's word engraved in her mind, she decided to follow them without question even though her mind screamed her to do the exact opposite. She heard the men quicken their pace behind her as well. She struggled in her head if she should run or not but her mother's words weighed in on her head. She decided to listen to her head but it was too late, the heavy footsteps had already closed in and they were falling faster, similar to the sound of running. Frozen and rooted she turned behind to see three burly men running towards her. Their dark shadows frightened her.

Gripping the wits about her, she ran for it but it was too dark for her to see where she was going and that's when it all ended for her. She tripped on her own foot which gave the men to close enough distance.

Sophia closed her eyes in fear, a sudden chill surrounded her. The temperature seemed to drop by another few degrees. Had it fallen any less Sophia would have only been metaphorically frozen. She heard the sound of the heavy footsteps drawing in close. She started to sob and tried to scramble back on to her feet but her effort was in vain, she had twisted her ankle. Only God, could save her now and in that moment she prayed. There are times of great need, when that seems to be the only logical thing to do. She chanted his name and begged for him to help, oblivious of the cold and the heavy falling steps.

With all her heart and soul she prayed to the almighty to protect her.

The footsteps closed in. She could now hear the ragged breathing and the sound of her whimpering. She could hear them closing in on her but she didn't give up hope and said her final prayers.

That's when it happened. All within less than a second, there was a sound similar to the flapping of wings and the ruffling of feathers followed by the sound of metal screeching against metal. Bewildered, she was about to open her eyes when she heard the blood curdling shriek and then the sound of falling bodies choking on their own blood.

She didn't dare open her eyes rather she heard another pair of light footsteps walk to her. She didn't know what was about to happen to her, would she be subjected to the same fate. Was she going to die? A million negative thoughts coursed through her mind and that was the last that she remembered… her mind faded into darkness.

Next morning when she got up, she was in her own bed. Surprised, she thought it was a dream but she eliminated that thought completely when she saw what was lying on her bedside table. Hesitantly, she reached her hand out to the feather that sat on the table, a black feather, its edge sharper than a metal sword.

She carefully twirled it in her hand. It wasn't a dream, it couldn't be. For the first time in several years she prayed to God. She had finally found faith.

A lone figure stood on the highest peak of the mountain range that was also referred to as the umbrella of the world. Shrouded in black, the man had pale luminescent skin and raven black hair. The sharp cuts and planes of his face gave him a chiselled appearance, accentuating his pale skin. A towering figure, standing erect in sub-zero temperatures and freezing gale force winds; the man's conviction and abyssal black eyes both made him appear formidable.

For a very long time he just stood there. His face expressionless and his eyes vacant, it seemed as if he had no purpose in life. He stood there like a statue, not moving a muscle. The one thing that was evident was that this person was not human. Hell! He was so far from humanity, that they were nothing but annoying bacterium to him. That's how he felt about them.

After what seemed like a lifetime, the man sighed. He raised his hand put it in his court pocket and drew out a book.

Holding it in both hands he carefully observed the book's cover. A smile came to his face as he ran his hand over the image of a man with wings who was looking up to the stars in the sky.

Could it be that the humans knew about him? The man thought to himself. He flicked through the memories of the child he had encountered in dominion of the Olympians. He didn't know why and how but he had felt compelled to help the girl when she had called out to him.

Called out to him… how could she have? It wasn't as if she was more powerful than him. She had simply prayed and he felt as if he was bound to answer to her. It was baffling indeed. How could the child, a mere mortal summon the creator of the universe to do her bidding? But no, she hadn't forced him to answer to her. He simply felt compelled to answer to her request.

The man sighed and turned his attention back to the book. The child's memories although highly informative, were incomplete. The book that the man held in his hand was the same that the girl had obtained all her knowledge from. It was possible that he too could get all his answers from this manuscript. They were several questions that he wanted answers to, Why had he been compelled to answer to her?

He looked to the book; all the answers that he wanted were in this. He kept his hand, on the face of the book and closed his eyes. He pitied the mortals who had to read each and every word in the book to gain knowledge and information. He on the other hand could derive the thoughts of the writer that gave him a better insight of the text.

He concentrated, emptying his mind of all thoughts to make space for new ones. One by one, the thoughts began to flash through. Like a network of current where every lightning's branched into enumerable tendrils which further subdivided. Had he been mortal, so much information at the same time would have overwhelmed him and been the cause of his death.

However it wasn't so with him and although he still had to sift through the information he had the general idea that was capable of answering each and every single question of his.

It seemed the mortals had developed the concept of one god. This God was an entity that had created the universe, the celestial bodies, the earth, heaven, hell and all forms of life. This entity seemed to control the universe, deciding upon creation, preservation and destruction. He was all powerful and ruled the heavens.

The man for a moment seemed to be lost in deep thought still holding the book in both hands, his thin lips curved into a wide smile. It seemed that the mortals' God was synonymous with him. That he was the all-powerful creator of the universe. Now, he understood why he compelled to answer to the girl's prayers.

Any deity, when prayed to with a pure heart was compelled to answer to the devotee's prayer. Although the deity had a choice whether to answer the prayer or not but it was considered an obligation to answer the prayers of the mortal. It had so happened that a mortal's prayer strengthened a deity, imbuing him with power.

The man slipped the book back into the pocket of his overcoat. If it was so that he was this God, then it so seemed that he would have to take over the heavens. After all, Heaven was rightfully his dominion which as of now was being ruled by the Olympians. That simply wouldn't do.

The smile on his face widened but it constricted as soon as another thought came to his mind. A thought not his own, God does not act directly; it's through his angels that he carries out his actions.

Angels? Where had he heard this word before? But the answer came to him even before the question was completely framed in his mind, the girl's memories.

He closed his eyes and again swept through her memories, this time envisioning several sketches the girl had drawn. Sketches of winged men wearing armour with a sphere of illumination surrounding their bodies. With each sketch there was a corresponding thought.

He now had the information that he needed to create his warriors.

He closed his eyes and spread his wings. Calling upon the power within him he willed for his strength to flow through him. Dark widespread wings moulded on the man's back who glowed with pearly luminescence. The dark wings closed, encasing the man within them and with a burst of blinding white light the man disappeared.

Far away from the snowy and arcane heights of the Himalayas on the other side of the planet in a high rise residential building in the financial district of Chicago a young girl woke up from her nightmare with a blood-curdling scream. With thick beads of sweat on her brow, goose bumps all over her body and a shiver down her spine, she screamed for her parents who came running from their bedroom to comfort their daughter.

The girl jumped of her bed and ran to her mother as soon as she entered the room. Crying and screaming she held her mother so tightly that it began to hurt the woman. The visions of her nightmare engraved in her mind. She could even hear them besides that the vision was still clear…

_On the banks of a black river stood a man robed in living shadows. The world around him was dark and the air reeked of death. It wasn't hell, no. Shadows swirled around the man like water engulfing him within itself. As the shadows engulfed him the light that he emitted intensified. As the intensity of the shadows increased, so did the light until it became blindingly harsh. _

_The man glowed like the sun, only the light was much harsher and for some reason appeared to be destructive. The piercing rays of light could stake anyone to a most painful death. The light continued to grow and when it seemed that it couldn't grow any further, the mass of light exploded. The sound waves from the explosion were deafening and were heard across the seven planes. _

_After what seemed to be a lifetime, the sound waves died down and the light faded away and when it did the man was no longer there. Instead there stood four figures in a perfect quadrilateral, all the same but yet very different. To the South stood a man with an imposing stature, sharp features coupled with a daunting conviction, the man wore compete body armour which to glowed with the harsh light but more than a glow it seemed as if he himself was on fire. _

_To his right stood a figure with a lithe body and long golden hair, a woman no doubt. Her armour was a molten gold in colour that emitted the same harsh light that had engulfed the dark figure._

_Opposite the woman, stood another man, he looked younger than the others but the darkness that surrounded him was far greater. An aura of power surrounded the man. His might was unquestionable and so was the determination on his face._

_Last, not the least stood another man. He looked elder than all of them. One sight was enough to deem him formidable. It seemed there was nothing that could stand in his way. Dressed in plain armour of bronze with a billowing cape behind him, the definition inhuman only applied to him. With clear blue eyes and short cropped hair, he was the embodiment of God in the body of the light-bearer._

**A/N: **

**I'd like to thank **_**wacko12**_**. Thanks for adding my story to your community. Head us you have to add the sequel too and you might just get the Hestia X Chaos wish.**


	19. Excerpt: Pandemonium

**Excerpt: Pandemonium**

Chaos, there was no other way to put it, the state of Fort Olympus that is. The demigods ran hither thither from one wall to another. They strived to hold the barricades and their lines of defence; with sweat on their brow and blood on their armour, each and every standing warrior carried an aura of pure, un-restrained power about themselves.

They had vowed to protect Fort Olympus to their last breath. Sadly, they had been failing to do so. Their efforts in vain but their endeavour to hold their ground was still strong. Unlike the castle and city which was crumbling under the power and sheer strength of the attacking hordes of enemy warriors, the demigods stood resolute to fight for their honour and pride.

They knew that protecting Fort Olympus now was a far cry but they wouldn't hand it to the enemy on a platter. No, they'd die trying and if they all died then they'd make sure that there was nothing but a razed piece of barren land to mast their flag on. If they were to go, then they'd go down in history as warriors who died fighting the celestial warriors of chaos.

Mikaela Sapientia ran across the burning fields that were once the sacred woods dedicated to the Hunters of Artemis. Slashing and Hacking through the Malakhim, the mortal angels of Heaven, her body and armour was covered thick in blood but not once did she allow herself to get overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the enemy. She didn't deter once and ran towards the approaching warriors, with a sword in each hand she jumped in the air and spun around like a ballerina.

Her sword dance cut through each warrior that tried to approach her. Spinning about herself with her head looking towards the sky, she prayed for strength. Blood sprayed across her face, from the warriors that she had culled. When she realised she could no longer spin with all her might she jumped high into the air and whistled for her Pegasus. She prayed to her mother that he be alive, if not she would fall to her death on over a hundred swords.

Her eyes closed, she silently prayed. It wasn't long before gravity took over her body pulling her back towards the ground and the hundred awaiting spikes. Her death called to her but that was not to be. Minerva had answered her prayer and from behind the clouds came her chestnut Pegasus, Bronzor. He caught her at the perfect time and she adjusted herself on his back and took a hold of his reins. She pulled at the reins diving towards the ground. Letting go of the reins she drew the twin long swords on the saddle. There were too many of them and she couldn't slash through each and every one of them. She had to draw her last card.

She prayed to her mother, tears running down her eyes. Mikaela thanked her for giving her this opportunity to try for Elysium. With that last thought she drew on her last shred of divine strength, calling out to it from each and every cell of her body. She could feel the core of her strength illuminate with the last bit of her divinity.

It was now or never. Concentrating she muttered the spell under her breath, _Gladiis in Ignis_. Before the words were even fully out of her mouth, the two swords were lit on fire and not just lit. A whirlwind of fire formed around the two swords.

"DIE" Mikaela shouted as she swept through the ranks of the Malakhim burning them to ash and cinders. Not leaving even one behind, she burnt them to death covering the blazing field with a thick layer of ash and a few burning embers. What was now left behind was a scalding graveyard of angels burnt to ash and dust, their weapons burning red hot.

At the centre of the field stood a worn out Mikaela who fell to the ground on her knees, still supported by her sword wedged deep into the earth. It was over, at least this battle was. She had to get to some place safe and recuperate her energy.

Bronzor landed beside her, whinging he nudged her with his snout to get up kicking the ground in agitation.

"What is it boy?" asked Mikaela in a calming voice, trying to soothe the anxious Pegasus. But even before the words were completely out of her mouth the Pegasus was lit on fire.

Mikaela screamed as the fire consumed her companion who writhed in pain falling apart in a heap of ash and dust in from of her. Shocked, fresh tears began to fall and she looked to the sky to find the person who had committed the crime.

Seething with anger she drew on her strength, the very last of it. She knew it wasn't enough but she was going to give her best. Her eyes gleamed, the flame of vengeance evident. She didn't deter from looking at the daunting figure of Chaos' warrior angel.

The figure soared down from the sky above to stand in front of her, closing its massive wings that blazed with a blinding harsh light.

"A Daughter of the wisdom goddess is it" the angel said drawing her sword from the scabbard on her back, "I'd like to see how last you long in front of me." She said her voice cruel and venomous. "Get up" she hissed.

Mikaela spat blood from her mouth and wiped her face on her sleeve. "What name should I carve on your grave stone?" Mikaela said taking a dig at the woman in the golden armour, who simply laughed. A smile crawled up the woman's face, "We'll see about that. But I guess, you should know who killed you." She said with a sneer, "My name is Uriel, The light of God." And with those last words, in a flash of light she drew her sword blinding Mikaela for a moment and that was all the Angel needed. Within that moment, she ran her Sword through the demigod warrior with a prayer on her lips.

The harsh light disappeared as she sheathed her sword. Running a hand through her long blonde curls, she looked around the battlefield. The girl was right, it was a scalding graveyard and on that thought she spread her wings that blazed with light and took to the sky to eliminate yet another warrior.

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you guys enjoy Pandemonium, the sequel to FIRE in the VOID.  
><strong>


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